Blind Run
by Liv-and-Love
Summary: Alex returns after a year away from the precinct to help Olivia go after an International pedophile ring. Alex has a secret, will it build or destroy her relatioship with Liv? Their feelings for each other unfold as they get sucked deaper into the case.
1. Chapter 1 International

Title: Blind Run

Chapter 1: International

Captain Don Cragen entered the work area and walked to the front of the room. "Can I get everybody's attention please? I have just been notified of a case involving a pedophile ring." Cragen scanned the room.

Everybody's eyes were on Cragen. Olivia, Elliot, Finn, and John stood up from their desks at joined Cragen at the digital case board.

Cragen began putting pictures on the wall. One was of a little girl about ten years old. She had bruises on her face. A map was also brought up.

Elliot crossed his arm and shifted his weight. "What kind of pedophile ring are we lookin' at here Cap'?"

Cragen answered, "A big one. This group is known to traffic young girls and boys from all over the globe into hot spots like New York City, Los Angeles, and the like. They hand them off to single women who help operate the ring. They typically live in upscale neighborhoods with lots of acres and fenced in communities. The women keep them down in the basement until someone comes by. . . to rent them."

Finn didn't hide his disgust, "These perverts are running kiddie brothels."

Olivia walked up to the board to get a closer look at the pictures of the little girl. "She looks like she's of Mexican descent. How did she escape?"

"She's from Mexico City and speaks only a little English. She was down in the basement with two other kids, siblings named Jonathan and Joana. The little girl is very sick and has been coughing up blood. So, Jonathan, made a distraction when their Madam came downstairs. Esmeralda, the girl in the photos, made her escape before the door could close. She came to find help for that little girl."

"Let me guess." John chimed in, "She was found wandering a highway and had no idea where she came from or which direction she was headed."

Cragen stuffed his hands in his pockets, "Actually she was found here." Don pointed to the red dot on the map. "She was lying near a ditch and was found by some fisherman. Other than that, you're right. She had no idea where she had been held captive."

Olivia looked at all the little dots on the map. "She couldn't have traveled very far, but there are three large upscale neighborhoods within this twenty mile radius. I'll head to the hospital to see if there's anything else she can remember."

"Good idea." Said Cragen, "And Elliot, you can go see if we got any DNA from the rape kit. Munch and Finn, you guys go canvas the neighborhoods see if there's anything suspicious."

Everyone started heading back to their desks to gather their things when Cragen interrupted them, "Oh, and one more thing. We're going to need help on this case. We'll be working with The International Task Force Bureau Sex Crimes Division."

"Which means you'll be seeing a lot of me." A tall blonde walked into the precinct. She was wearing a long kaki trench coat and a black button up underneath as well as a pair of fitted black slacks. She walked up to Olivia's and Elliot's desk.

"Alex." Olivia said, "It's good to see you again."

Alex looked around the room. "I've really missed you guys."

Olivia didn't miss the lingering look at her when she said "_you"_.

Alex had hoped that Olivia had caught her subtle hint. It had been over a year since she had seen anyone at the 1-6, and she really did miss her old colleagues; but it was Olivia she missed the most.

Alex continued her assessment of the case as she walked toward the case board. "Esmeralda's father is probably here illegally. That could be one reason she wasn't reported missing. I've been speaking with the police in Mexico City. They found her mother who said she paid someone to smuggle her across the state lines to be with her father."

"Do we know anything about the other two kids that she was rooming with?" Olivia asked?

"Unfortunately, no. Our best bet is to try and find the place she was held captive. This is only one of an estimated ten 'pedophile brothels' in this city alone." Alex said.

"All right people let's get on this." Cragen said as he headed back to his office.

Olivia picked up her coat as Alex walked up to her. "Hey, Alex. How's it been working with the Bureau?"

"It's been amazing. I've mostly stayed here in the states, but I've also gotten to travel to Bosnia and I just got back from working with Scotland Yard in England. Actually I wanted to see if you wanted to meet me for dinner, so we could do some catching up."

"Sure." Olivia smiled. "I probably won't have any stories that compare to yours." Liv laughed as she pulled her jacket on, "I'll give you a call this evening."

"That sounds good to me." Alex answered as they both headed to the elevators.

It was close to eight o clock when Olivia and her co workers decided to take off for the day. Elliot had said they found DNA from two different perp's, but neither were in the system. Finn and John had been talking to neighbors and looking for moving vans or frequent visitors all day, but had come up short. Liv talked with Esmeralda some more. Knowing some Spanish had helped her talk with the girl and find out more about what happened inside the house, but she couldn't remember anything that happened once she escaped.

Olivia got out her cell and dialed Alex's number. She thought about going home to change first, but it was already so late. They decided to meet up at a little Irish pub not far away.

The two sat down in a small booth. Alex was wearing the same thing as earlier, so Liv didn't feel as bad for not changing anymore.

"So how do you know there are about ten more brothels?" Olivia asked Alex when they first sat down.

"We caught a coyote in the middle of a smuggle. He had five kids with him at the time, and was already halfway across the states." Alex said looking up at Olivia.

Liv shook her head as she looked down at her menu. "At least you saved those kids."

Alex nodded in agreement. "It's too bad we hadn't caught him earlier. We could have saved more of them."

Alex had looked up from her menu and was staring at Liv who was deciding what she wanted for dinner. _God, she's beautiful_, Alex thought to herself.

"Can I get you lady's a drink?" the waiter had come up to the table and snapped Alex back to attention.

"I'll take whatever is light on tap." Said Olivia.

"A hot tea for me, please." Alex said.

The waiter walked off.

"Hot tea?" Olivia slightly scoffed.

"Yes." Alex smiled as she laughed at herself. "I picked up a few 'bad' habits in England." Alex smirked as she looked down at her menu again. "Everything in here sounds delicious!"

Olivia looked over at her friend. She had changed a lot in the past year. "So tell me about your work in England."

"Well, I actually went there to lead a class on International Sex Crimes. I stayed about three months, traveling to different academies for Scotland Yard. I met someone there."

"Oh, anything serious?" Olivia asked.

The waiter brought back their drinks. "Ready to order?"

"I'll take the Rasher deli." Liv answered and handed her menu over to the waiter.

"Chicken Caesar for me." Alex handed off her menu as well.

The waiter walked off with their order and Alex continued. "No, it wasn't anything serious; he was just a little fling."

Olivia didn't miss the disappointment that was left on Alex's face.

Eager to change the subject, Alex questioned Olivia. She wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer to her question, but she asked anyways. "How about you? Have you seen anybody this past year?"

Liv nodded her head, "I've been on a couple of dates; but you know me, nothing serious." Olivia could tell Alex had something else on her mind, but wasn't sure exactly what it was.

"Do you think there's someone out there for everyone?"

Liv sat back unsure of how to answer the question. "I don't know. I'd like to think that there is, but experience tells me otherwise."

"A few months after I started working for the Bureau, I met someone and we soon started dating. They thought that there was someone for everyone, but most people weren't looking in the right direction."

"So how'd it end with him?" Liv asked.

"We went to Bosnia together. There was an orphanage there with reports of abuse. When we got there, we found infants that had been left in cribs since birth, toddlers were running around without shoes or diapers, and the kids would turn and fight each other over even a small amount of food. After we got things back in order," Alex took a breath and tried to judge Olivia's reaction to her next words. "She stayed behind to continue working there with the orphans."

Olivia tried to hide her surprise, but she was sure it registered on her face. _She? Did she just say she?_

"We were only together a few months." Alex continued after she detected the small shock on Olivia's face. "It may have been the most intense and passionate relationship I have ever been in. And, I think she may have been right… most people are looking in the wrong direction for the one they love."

"Here you go." The waiter laid down a deli plate in front of Liv and a salad in front of Alex. "Enjoy your dinner ladies."

**A/N: Thank you for reading my first chapter. Please review! I love to know what you think. The next few chapters will get really intense! **


	2. Chapter 2 Interpretation

Chapter 2: Interpretation

The next day, Olivia walked into the precinct. She was still trying to process all of the conversation she had with Alex the previous night. She sat down at her desk. Elliot was already there going over some paperwork.

"What's up with you today?" Elliot asked as he sat down his pen and gave his partner a concerned look.

Liv pushed the hair out of her face and back behind her ears as she stood up again. "Nothing; I just need some coffee. Want some?" She looked down at Elliot only then noticing the cup on his desk.

El pointed toward the cup with his pen, "No thanks. I got some, but you defiantly need your cup today."

Olivia raised an eyebrow in agreement with that statement. She had tossed and turned all night. She headed over to the coffee table. _Alex had been with a woman. Why was I the first person she told about this relationship? Does this mean anything for us? _Liv grabbed a cup from the stack on the table.

"I think I'll need some of that too; except, I'll go for the option with a little less caffeine."

Olivia looked up to see Alex, who had just walked up to her. "Here you go." She handed Alex a cup, as she poured some coffee for herself.

Alex poured herself a cup of hot water and plopped a tea bag inside of it. She leaned in and in a low voice said to Olivia, "I hope I didn't freak you out last night or anything. I mean, I know it's a lot to take in; I could barely believe it myself. I. . ."

"Alex," Olivia said butting in. "You being with another woman, it doesn't bother me at all." She looked down into her cup as she took a sip from her coffee, and then she looked back up and into Alex's eyes. "I think it's kinda neat actually." And with a glint in her eye, she walked back toward her desk.

Alex stood there slightly dumbfounded smiling at herself and then took a sip of her tea as she watched Liv walk back to her desk.

Elliot leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "I want to go to the ditch where the fisherman found Esmeralda. What do you think about taking her back there?" Elliot asked Olivia when she sat back down at her desk.

"I don't want to put that girl through any more trauma than she's already been through. What about getting her to sit down with a sketch artist?" Olivia replied.

Cragen walked up to their desks. "I'll ask Alex to find a sketch artist. Meanwhile, I'm going to contact the media. We'll get a picture of her captor up on the air. Somebody has to know who she is."

"While you're doing that," Olivia said, "We can go back to the ditch, without her, and check it out ourselves."

"All right. Let's get on it." Cragen said. Then as he looked around the room, he noticed Alex was gone. "Liv, have you seen Alex?"

Olivia turned in her chair to look over near the coffee table. "She was just here a minute ago. I'll go see if I can find her." Liv got up from her chair and headed for the door. She walked out and saw the back of Alex.

Alex was standing halfway down the hallway in a little niche. Only her shoulder and the arm she was holding her cell with were showing.

Olivia started walking toward her, but stopped when she heard the tone of Alex's voice on the phone.

"Of course I'm glad you got a promotion." Alex said defensively. "I just thought you might want to at least see the. . . No, of course. I understand. . . Alright, bye." She hung up the phone.

Olivia continued toward Alex. "Hey,"

Alex turned around slightly startled to see Olivia there.

"Cragen wants to talk to you about getting Esmeralda to sit down with a sketch artist." Olivia stuck her hands in her pockets.

"Ok, I'll go talk with him." Alex shoved the phone back in her pocket and started to walk off.

Olivia walked with her. "Is everything ok?" She asked.

Alex looked distracted. "I have it all under control."

They walked back into the offices. Elliot was putting his jacket on as he walked up to Liv.

"Ready to go?" He asked.

Olivia watched Alex tread heavily toward Cragen's office as she spoke to Elliot. "Yeah, let's go."

The two of them walked off toward the elevators.

"This is where they found her?" Olivia asked as she walked around a small patch of grass near a ditch.

"That's the exact spot." Elliot said. He was standing off to the side looking up and down the length of the ditch.

Olivia squatted down looking closer at the grass and then off toward the ditch. "So she was lying passed out and facing east when the fishermen found her." Liv stood up again.

Elliot had walked over and joined her. "She must have been running from that direction then." He pointed west.

Olivia tilted her head west. "Let's go then."

Elliot followed Olivia. "If they found her at ten, she could have either been running all night, or perhaps she only escaped that morning."

"Well, she said it was still dark out when she left. She was malnourished, so she couldn't have gotten too far." Liv said.

"That still leaves us with both scenarios. Either way, she was running blind."

The two detectives stopped when they reached a rocky area that crossed the ditch.

"Would you look at that." Elliot said. "I bet she crossed there."

"She wasn't in the least bit wet when they found her." Olivia said.

"I bet," Elliot said as he started trying to balance himself as he crossed the rocks. "I bet she crossed without getting wet." At that moment, Elliot lost his footing and one of his feet slipped into the ditch water. "Damn it." He yelled as he placed his wet foot back on the rocks and finished crossing.

"I'm sure she was lighter on her feet than you are." Olivia smiled, amused at the spectacle. Olivia crossed easily.

Elliot was shaking out his shoe as Liv walked past him and continued west.

She hadn't gotten far when she spotted something. "El, come over here. Look." She pointed to small wooden barricade painted in red and white reflector paint. "This ditch backs up to a neighborhood."

Elliot put his shoe back on and quickly joined her as she was already climbing the short incline up to the neighborhood. The two of them walked around the barricade and they stood at the end of a short street.

"If we're right," Eliot said, "They have the profile wrong."

"This is defiantly not a high end neighborhood." Olivia said as she started walking down the street. "Call Munch and Finn."

"Already on it." Elliot said as he held the phone up to his ear.

"And tell them to bring our car."

Elliot scowled and turned slightly away from her. He was already talking to John.

Liv laughed to herself. She knew he would ask even if he feigned annoyance at being told what to do. She walked to the intersection. There was a small house with overgrown weeds in the front. It was a dark red brick with brown trim. Down the block was a faded white brick home with a baby blue trim that was fenced in, their yard was slightly more trimmed than the others.

Elliot joined Olivia at the end of the short street. "Munch and John are on their way. They said they never checked out this neighborhood."

"It's defiantly not upscale." Olivia said.

Elliot started walking down one of the streets and Olivia followed him. "No, it's not." Elliot replied. Then he pointed to a few houses at the end of the block. "But, these look like they might have some land."

"We need to work quickly." Liv said looking up at the sky. "Clouds are getting dark. It might rain soon."

John drove up with their car as Olivia got a call. It was from Alex. "Benson." Olivia said.

"I have a sketch of the woman that kept the kids. I'm sending it to you right now."

Liv walked to the back of their squad car and pulled out their printer/scanner. "Ok, I'm getting it. What about the kids, Jonathan and JoAnna?"

"We're still working on that."

"Thanks Alex." Olivia said as she pulled the sketch from the printer. She said goodbye and hung up the phone. She walked over to Elliot, John, and Finn and held up the sketch. "This is who we're looking for." She handed one copy to Finn.

"We'll start down here." Elliot said pointing in the direction they were already headed. The two of them jumped in their car and headed toward the nearest house that looked like it had some land. John and Finn took off in the other direction.

After a few knocks on doors, Elliot and Olivia got what they were looking for.

"That's Jackie Rodriguez. She lives two doors down. Is she in trouble?" Asked the little old lady.

"We just need to ask her a few questions." Olivia answered.

"Do you happen to know if she's home right now?" Elliot asked.

"Oh no, she moved out late last night. It didn't look like she took much though. She only had a small van."

"Did she often have visitors?" Olivia shifted her weight to her right side. She was taking down notes in her little pad.

"Yes, frequently." Said the lady. "She was having a lot of work done on the house. She also hosted poker tournaments every Friday and Saturday nights."

"Well, we may have some more questions for you later on. Thanks for your time." Elliot said as he and Olivia started walking back toward the street.

Liv was back on the phone. "Alex, we need a warrant for 2284 Westburry Rd. We found the house. It belonged to Jackie Rodriguez."

"I'll be there with one in twenty minutes."

Finn and Munch had joined Liv and El at the scene. They walked up to the front door and Elliot knocked.

"Police, open up." Even if they knew no one was home, it was protocol. When no one answered, Elliot kicked in the front door.

They started walking through the home to secure it. No one was there. The home was furnished with an 80's style couch and had yellow shag carpeting. The walls were paneled and there was a wooden dinette table with an ash tray in the dining room. There were a few paintings on the wall, most of which were of the saints.

John called from the kitchen, "I found the entrance to the basement."

Finn stayed on the ground level as the others walked down the stairs and into the basement. Carpet lined the walls of the stairwell.

There was a padlock lying on the floor and another door that was slightly cracked open. The three cautiously walked inside. They walked down a narrow hallway and came to the first room on the right. Elliot walked in to see a twin sized bed and a small nightstand.

John came up to the next room that was on the left. The same contents were inside it. Liv walked all the way down the hallway where she came to an opening. Two bunk beds lined one side of the wall. There were a few kids books on a lopsided bookcase. At the opposite end of the room was a toilet as well as a small table with four chairs and a tv stand with an old tv on top.

Elliot had walked into the room. "Look Liv." He stood by the bunks.

Olivia walked over to join him. She looked down at one of the lower bunks. Old sheets and a pillow were covered in blood. "That must belong to JoAnna." Liv said.

'Liv! El!" Finn called down from the kitchen.

Olivia and Elliot rushed back up the stairs to meet Finn. "What is it?" Eliot asked.

Alex may have found something in the back yard.

They all headed out the back door.

Olivia ran toward the very back of the yard where Alex was kneeling in the mud. She was wearing a black pencil skirt, tights, and a blue button up shirt with a black jacket. Almost all of her was covered in the mud as she was feverishly digging.

When Olivia got there, she started helping Alex dig. She picked up a piece of wood and used it as a shovel.

Tears were starting to stream down Alex's face. She sat back, worn out from her exertion at digging and let Olivia continue.

Liv stopped and threw the wood to the side. She leaned in, and started using her hands to pull away some dirt. Then she uncovered the hand of a little girl.

"No!" Alex yelled as she started clawing at the dirt in the area where the girls face would be.

Olivia got up from her spot and tried to pull Alex away. Alex was kneeling over the body, so Liv had to grab her by the shoulders to pull her back.

"She could still be alive." Alex yelled, as she shrugged off Olivia's hands.

"She's been buried for twenty four hours. She didn't make it." Liv said as she tried again to pull Alex away from the shallow grave.

Finally, Alex let herself be pulled back. She collapsed into Olivia's arms. Her head lay on Liv's shoulder as she shuddered from tears. Olivia sat back unsure how to comfort this side of Alex. Her year working international sex crimes had changed her. Her trip to Bosnia had changed her.

Then, the sky opened up and it started to sprinkle. Elliot was on the phone calling CSU. "Hurry you need to get here before the evidence washes away."

Finn had gone back inside to escape the rain and John was still inside looking around.

Olivia sat there in the mud with Alex still leaning on her shoulder. Her tears had begun to subside as the rain got heavier. Olivia rubbed her back. "Come on, we need to get inside."

Liv helped Alex stand and the two of them walked back toward the house as the CSU team arrived.

**A/N: As always, thanks for reading, and I appreciate reviews! Next chapter, prepare for an explosive event. . . **


	3. Chapter 3 Interogation

Chapter 3: Interrogation

**A/N: Alex's secret is revealed this chapter! It's also the chapter from which the whole story came into being, so I hope you like it!**

Olivia knocked on the door to Alex's office.

Alex had her back turned and was talking on her cell phone. She turned when she heard the knock and waved her friend in.

Olivia walked in and quietly shut the door behind her.

Alex placed a hand on her forehead as she continued to stare out the window while the voice on the other line talked. "Look, as far as I'm concerned, we never have to hear from you again. I've got someone here, I've got to go. Bye" Alex hung up her phone and placed in on her desk and walked around it to great Olivia.

"Sorry about that." Alex said as she leaned up against her desk.

"That didn't sound good." Olivia said.

Alex let out a sigh, "I guess it's all how you look at it." Alex said more to herself than to Olivia. "Anyways, not that I'm not delighted to see you, but what brings you here?"

"Well, after yesterday, I just wanted to check on you." Olivia stepped in a little closer so now she was standing only a foot away.

Alex crossed her arms in front of her chest. "It's always the cases with kids that really get to me. I feel like we were just so close."

"We were." Olivia said. "We were just. . . looking in the wrong direction."

"Did Malinda say how she died?"

"She died of asphyxiation. Rodriquez held her pillow over her until she died."

Alex looked down at the floor in contemplation and Olivia joined her by leaning against the desk.

Suddenly full of indignation, Alex stood and started pacing the room. "I won't sit by and watch as she gets away with this. Where are we on tips from the media?"

Olivia watched Alex pace, but kept her spot against the desk. "Same tips as usual, but nothing promising."

"What about her neighbor? She didn't know where she was going? Did she have a safe house?"

"I doubt she would have told her neighbor these things." Olivia said. "But, Elliot is talking with her at the precinct now. Maybe she does know something."

Alex stopped pacing and started to head for the door. "Alright, let's go."

"Wait." Olivia said as she stood up and walked over to Alex. "I actually came here to ask you something else too."

Alex's stiff stance softened as she turned around to face Olivia, "What about?"

"I feel like we've been doing this sort of dance ever since we've known each other. I never wanted to ruin anything good we did have going on." Liv's hands were trying to do the talking for her, but she stilled them once she saw the smile across Alex's face. Liv looked Alex in the eyes as she asked, "Would you like to go out with me?"

"I would love to." Alex answered, and then raised her eyebrows and added. "I thought you would never ask."

Olivia smiled to herself as Alex turned back around and started walking out of her office.

"You coming?" Alex asked as she looked back over her shoulder.

Olivia grabbed the cell phone off of Alex's desk. "I am, but I don't think you should forget this." She held out the cell to Alex.

Alex grinned as she grabbed the phone and the two headed out the door to the 1-6.

When Olivia and Alex got to the precinct, it was buzzing. Elliot was rummaging through his desk frantically while Munch was on the phone practically yelling. Cragen was over at the digital case wall pulling up pictures and Finn was escorting Rodriguez's neighbor out of the precinct.

Olivia rushed over to Elliot. "Elliot, what's going on here?"

Elliot looked up briefly and then answered, "We got a lead on the case. The old lady knew one of Rodriguez's regulars. Turns out, he really did do house work; but he's also in the system for exposing himself to a minor."

"Why didn't you call me?" Olivia asked as she looked around the room with one hand pushing the hair out of her face.

Elliot stood up with a file and stepped in closer to Liv and lowered his voice. "I did." He said. Then he pointed at Alex with the folder, "My guess is you were a little preoccupied." He raised an eye brow and smirked, and then he turned and started to walk off.

Olivia caught up to him quickly and stopped him. "What are you trying to say?" Olivia's eyes searched his for the truth.

"Liv." He raised both eyebrows. "Look at her."

Olivia shifted her gaze to where Alex was busy talking with Cragen. Alex hadn't stopped smiling since they left her office.

Liv looked back at Elliot and shrugged, "Well, I guess there's no hiding anything from you."

"It won't be long till I'm not the only one who knows." Elliot said laughing to himself as he and Olivia walked over to Cragen to hand off the file Elliot had.

Within the hour, the crew had picked up their first suspect. His name was Donald Huffington.

Olivia stood against the back wall while Elliot went up against the perp. Elliot had his hands placed on the table as he was hovering over it staring the perp in the eyes. "We know you were a regular down at the house on Westburry. We have an eye witness that puts you there every Tuesday morning." Elliot stood upright and walked around the table. "Now, we've gone over your financials, and checked your work schedule, so don't even try to feed us a line of crap about doin' work on the house."

Donald was slumped over in his chair. "You guys just don't understand. I was just there to show the children the love that they deserve."

Elliot threw his hands in the air. "Just how were you doing that! Was it by keeping them captured like animals, or raping them every week? You creeps always say its love; but you know what? You're all wrong, and you still go to jail no matter what it is you try to convince yourself to believe."

Olivia stepped in to talk with Donald while Elliot stepped back to cool off. "Rodriguez had three kids with her, a little girl who escaped, one that she killed, and now she has a little boy and who knows what she'll do with him."

Donald sat up from his slump. "She still has the boy?"

"Yeah, she does. She killed his sister." Olivia threw out a picture of JoAnna from the coroner. Donald looked away. "If she did this to his sister, what do you think she'll do to him, hmm?"

Donald put his head in his hands. "She'd never hurt him."

Olivia sat on the table looking down at Donald. "Tell us where they are."

Donald looked up, "Don't I need a lawyer for this? You know. . ." He looked over at Elliot and then back to Olivia, "To cut a deal?"

Unable to stand and watch any longer, Alex burst through the room and introduced herself. "You have my word, give us Rodriguez and the boy, and you'll only serve six years."

Donald looked reluctant.

Elliot came closer to the table. "Trust us, if you don't tell us where they are, I promise you will go down for not only rape, but for murder of that little girl too. That's 25 to life, and you know they don't treat pedophiles nicely in prison."

"Ok, ok. I'll need to call the number I have and set up an appointment. I don't have the address."

Cragen tapped on the window, and Elliot went out to talk with him, when he came back in, he said, "I'm going in with you. You'll say you have a friend who has a preference for little boys. When you call, we'll be listening in, so don't say anything you'll regret."

Donald nodded as he was handed a phone to call from. "Hey, Jackie, it's Donald. . . Yeah, I know it's not Tuesday, but I got a friend here who says he'd like to try out what you got. . . uh huh, little boys. We'll be there soon."

Within thirty minutes, the whole crew had surrounded the house closely; but only Elliot and Donald drove up to the house directly. Donald walked up to the door, with Elliot close behind him. Donald looked back at Elliot who nodded at him to knock on the door. There was no answer. After two more tries, Elliot got on his walkie-talkie and signaled his co workers. Finn led Donald back to the car.

Elliot kicked in the front door. He and his colleagues walked into the deserted house.

"They recently vacated." Alex said as she looked around.

"Looks like they're smokers, they left us DNA this time." John said as he held up a half smoked cigarette.

Elliot went to look through the back bedrooms.

Olivia walked out the back door. She saw a separate living quarters that was built hap hazard. The building was made from wooden scraps and had a wooden front door. The path to the shack had been worn down by footprints over a long period of time. Olivia drew her gun as she approached the door.

Cautiously, she opened the door and walked inside. It was pitch black so she withdrew her flashlight. She was in a narrow corridor and slowly walked its length. Her heart beat faster as she came to the first room. She entered and scanned the room with her flashlight with her gun still drawn. A familiar scene was laid out in front of her- a bed and side table. She came upon two more similar rooms before entering a fourth room.

This room was larger with six bunks lining the wall, a couch, television, books, and a few toys lying around. She walked the room until she came to a table. There was something on the table that was covered by a cloth. She pointed the flashlight on it and cautiously pulled back the cloth and uncovered a homemade bomb. It had six seconds left.

Olivia dropped the cloth and ran for the door. At five seconds, the bomb started ticking. Tick, tick, tick. Olivia reached the door and flung it open. Tick. She leaped. Tick. The house behind her exploded with ferocity.

She lay on the ground with her hands covering her head. Shrapnel had filled the air and was falling all around her. The building behind her was on fire as were some of the pieces that had flown off. Smoke filled the air.

Elliot was on the phone calling the fire department.

Alex had seen the whole explosion. She rushed to Olivia's side.

Finn and John helped her stand and half dragged her out of harm's way.

Liv was half dazed as Alex searched her body for serious injuries.

The ambulance had arrived and she was lead over to the back where she took a seat. "I'm fine. I'm fine. It's only a few cuts. Can't you just sew me up here?" Liv asked the EMT.

The EMT looked over at Alex, "She should go in to see a doctor."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "I'm a cop, I know how to take care of stitches."

"Are you sure you don't at least want a doctor to look at them?" Alex asked as she sat down next to Olivia and placed her hand on her leg.

Cragen walked up at about that time. "There's no way you're going home like this Liv. Someone needs to look after you. You're disoriented."

"I'm fine captain. This isn't the first time I've almost been blown up." Olivia said as she stood up. Blood rushed to her head to quickly and she stepped backwards to catch herself.

Alex helped Liv steady herself. "I'll take her home and watch after her for the night."

Cragen looked at the two of them. "Alright, but call me in the morning and let me know how she's doing. She has the day off."

"But Captain. . ." Olivia started to protest.

Cragen looked over at Alex, "Don't let her come in, we've got this." With that statement, he turned and walked off toward the scene of the blast.

The EMT finished the last suture and gave the two a disapproving look before packing her things back in the truck.

"Come on, let's go." Alex led Liv to her car and drove off toward Olivia's apartment.

Liv leaned her head back on the headrest in the car. That day, the bomb, had completely exhausted her. She still had soot on her face as well as all over her clothes and arms.

When Alex arrived at Olivia's apartment, she parked her car in the garage and went over to open Olivia's door.

Liv slid out and held onto Alex as they walked back to her apartment.

Alex unlocked her door and began leading her to her bathroom. She closed the lid of the toilet and sat Olivia on it. Then she started the warm water in the shower. She started to leave when Olivia grabbed her pant leg.

Liv was slumped up against the back of the toilet completely worn out.

Alex knelt down in front of Olivia and looked into her eyes. They were barely open. Alex pushed a piece of soot filled hair back behind her ears exposing the fresh bruising and stitches. Alex sighed.

Then Alex bent down and started to pull of Olivia's shoes and socks. She stood over Liv and pulled her shirt off of her. She helped Olivia to stand and had Liv place her hands on her shoulders as she unbuttoned and slid off her pants and undergarments. Alex sat Olivia back down as she wrapped her arms around the back of her and unsnapped her bra. Then she let Olivia lean back again.

Alex stood up and pulled off her sweatshirt and button up. Then she slid off her shoes and unbuttoned and took off her pants. Liv was still lying back almost passed out. Alex unsnapped her bra and let in fall to the floor. Then she slid off her underwear. She pushed back the shower curtain and checked the temperature of the water.

Alex helped Olivia stand and the two of them climbed into the shower. Alex placed Olivia under the flow of water. Liv leaned her head back and let in run through her hair and over her entire body. Alex found the shampoo and turned Liv away from her so that she could wash her hair. Then she was led back under the waterfall. After another shampoo and a conditioner, Alex washed her own hair as Liv leaned against the wall letting the water hit her stomach and thighs as it moved down her body.

Alex got in close to the water fall to rinse her hair. Then she stood Olivia back upright as she squirted some body wash into her hands. She rubbed it over Olivia's back and arms, across her face, and then across her stomach and breasts. She pulled Olivia close to her under the water and let Liv lean her forehead on her shoulder as the water covered them both.

Afraid she would soon fall asleep, Alex cut off the water and grabbed the towel. She dried off Olivia and then herself. She helped Liv out of the shower and led her into the bedroom.

Olivia collapsed on the bed.

Alex wrapped the towel around herself as she searched through Olivia's drawers. She found some tanks and underwear. She grabbed them. She pulled on a pair of underwear for herself then slipped a baby blue tank over her head.

She walked over to where Olivia lay in bed and helped her put on a pair of underwear. Then she sat her up and slid a white tank onto her body. Olivia lay right back down and Alex sat next to her as she pulled the cover up over her shoulders. She leaned in and pushed the hair out of her face and kissed her on the forehead. "I'll go sleep on the couch."

Alex started to get up when she felt a tug on her tank. Olivia's eyes were closed, but she rolled over and patted the other side of her bed. Alex smiled to herself as she walked around the bed and slipped in under the covers.

The next morning, the sun rose and shone into the bedroom. Alex was still fast asleep when Olivia awoke. Liv scooted closer to Alex and watched her sleep for a few minutes.

She started to recall the events of the previous day as well as last night. Olivia furrowed her brow in contemplation. She started to pull back on the covers a bit, and she slid her hand over Alex's stomach. There was a tiny bump. Alex was pregnant.

**A/N: YAY! Anyways, reviews inspire me to write faster **** BTW, I made a youtube video to go along with this story, if you want to see it, click on my profile I have a link to my youtube channel and it's the first one on there!**


	4. Chapter 4 Interpersonal

Chapter 4: Interpersonal

Alex awoke when she felt Olivia's hand over her abdomen. She stretched her arms over her head and then brought one behind her head as she laid there watching Liv's reaction.

Olivia was sitting up gazing down at Alex's stomach. It moved as Alex stretched and she could feel her stomach rising and falling with each breath. _A baby, Alex is going to have a baby._ Liv was shocked. _How could I have missed this?_ She didn't look too far along, but far enough that it should have been noticed. Her hand moved over the small bump. Then her gaze shifted to Alex's eyes.

Alex placed her hand over Olivia's as she helped herself sit up with her other hand. Her blonde hair fell over her shoulders and she sat there waiting for a reaction from Olivia. "I should have told you about this." Alex said as she looked down at their hands over her stomach.

Olivia raised her eyebrows and looked down again in astonishment. "I'm just surprised. I mean, I had no idea you were pregnant."

Alex smirked and tilted her head to the side. "It took me a while to get used to the concept too. I didn't mean to hide it from you; I just wanted to tell you at the right time." Alex let herself fall back into the pillows behind her.

Liv pulled her pillow closer to Alex's and lay down next to her. They lay on their sides facing each other. Olivia pushed a piece of Alex's stray hair behind her ear. "Who's the father?"

Alex sighed and rolled her eyes as she started her story. "After my trip to Bosnia, I struggled with the whole identity crisis. It wasn't long before I was in England working with the Scotland Yard. I found a rebound guy there. He was sweet for a while, but when I found out I was pregnant, he wanted nothing to do with me. So, I came back to the states. I came back here, to SVU, to you." Alex met Olivia's deep hazel eyes which were searching her own.

Olivia scooted in closer to Alex. Their bodies touched. Their foreheads touched. Liv ran her fingers through Alex's hair and gazed into her blue eyes.

Alex's body trembled as Olivia wrapped her in her embrace, accepting her fully. Every touch sent a tingle down her spine. Liv's soft lips touched hers gently. Then she felt the full weight of their mouths intertwined in a fervent kiss that seemed to last forever.

Alex fell back into her pillow breathing heavily.

Olivia lay back onto her side to catch her breath. She pushed her hair back from her face and propped herself up on one arm. Her other hand slid back over Alex's abdomen and caressed it.

Alex lay back and felt the tender stroke of Olivia's hands with every breath she took. She enjoyed watching the smile that crossed the detective's face as she looked on in wonder.

"How far along are you?" She lifted her blue tank to expose the bare skin of her stomach. She was dumbfounded that there was a tiny creature living inside there.

"I'm fourteen weeks." Alex said. Alex played with a strand of Liv's hair, intertwining it around one of her fingers. "I actually have a doctor's appointment today."

"Really?" Olivia smiled as she looked back at Alex still laying there. Liv joined her again, lying on her back as she stared up at the ceiling.

Alex curled up into Olivia's side. Liv slid her arm around Alex and cuddled her close.

"Seeing as you got yourself blown up yesterday and now have the day off. . . " Alex shifted her gaze up to meet Olivia's. "You want to come?"

Liv kissed Alex's forehead. "I would love to." Olivia sat back up and got out of bed. "But first. . ." Olivia smiled as she propped Alex up with some pillows. "Let me bring the two of you some breakfast." Liv gave Alex a devious smile as she sauntered off toward the kitchen still wearing only her white tank and underwear.

A few hours later, the two were waiting in a patient room at the doctor's office. Alex lay back on the examination bed as the nurse wheeled in an ultrasound machine.

Olivia stood next to Alex holding her hand as the doctor rubbed jelly on Alex's stomach with the ultrasound wand. The screen filled with a black and white picture. When Olivia saw the baby, she squeezed Alex's hand tighter.

The doctor measured each limb of the baby she could find as well as the head. She measured the sack the baby was in as well as looked at the amount of amniotic fluid that filled the sack and encompassed the baby. They saw and heard the heart beating.

Olivia's eyes watered as the wand swept over the face of the baby, the tiny wonder.

Alex looked up to see Liv's eyes glossed over. She smiled to herself as the doctor printed out some pictures for them. She knew she had made the right choice in keeping the baby. She really had wanted to tell Liv earlier, but she just hadn't found the right words, or the right time.

The doctor wiped the jelly off of Alex's stomach and helped her sit back up.

Liv held the ultrasound pictures and looked over each one.

The doctor shook Alex's hand and patted Olivia's arm. "I'll need to see you again in one month to check on the development. So far, everything looks good and is developing normally. Also, if you want to find out, you'll know the sex of your baby."

The two walked out of the doctor's office with Olivia still goggling over the pictures. It was a lot to find out in one day.

Olivia had convinced Alex to wear a pair of slacks and a fitted grey shirt of hers that really showed off her belly. There wasn't much use trying to hide it with sweaters, jackets, and trench coats anymore. If it was up to Olivia, everyone they met would know.

They walked down the street enjoying the cool weather. "Let's go by the precinct and show everyone the pictures." Olivia said.

Alex stopped walking. "I don't know. What if I'm not ready to let everyone know?"

Olivia stood in front of Alex and looked down at her stomach. "Trust me, if it's not today, it won't be much longer. Plus. . ." Olivia waved the pictures at Alex, "Who wouldn't want to see pictures of this beautiful little one?"

Alex grabbed the pictures back from Olivia and looked over them smiling to herself. "I'm not supposed to let you go into work today."

Liv started walking again, toward the precinct. "Alex, you're pregnant. You know you shouldn't be doing this kind of work either. You were at the house yesterday too when that shack blew."

Alex rolled her eyes. "I get your point."

The two walked on toward the precinct. When they went inside, it was eerily quiet.

Munch was sitting on top of his desk talking on the phone. He hung up when he saw them both, "Olivia, what are you doing here?"

"Where is everyone?" Liv asked.

John shifted his weight and pointed to one of the interrogation rooms. "They found Rodriguez."

**A/N: This was just a little fluff that I wanted to add. More drama as the case intensifies and their quest to find Jonathan is delayed! Also, some clues to Alex's pregnancy that may have been subtly missed: First off, Alex was "starving" in first chapter, and in chapter one and two, she only drank tea (no beer or high caffeinated coffee). In Chapter two and three, she was on the phone with her baby daddy. I purposefully left out key words, but if you go back and read them, you'd get it. Also, Alex was already in her second trimester, so nausea had already passed, and believe me, it is still possible to hide a pregnancy, but not for much longer! Thanks for all the lovely reviews!**


	5. Chapter 5 Intolerable

Chapter 5: Intolerable

Olivia ran off in the direction of the interrogation room. Alex followed closely behind her. When they burst through the first door, Cragen turned around to quiet the intruders.

Elliot and Fin were questioning the perp.

Rodriguez leaned back in the wobbly chair with her arms crossed in front of her chest. She had unruly curly hair that came just below her shoulders. She was in her late thirties but looked closer to fifty, evidence of a hard life.

Olivia walked up to the window, watching the scene unfold. "How'd they find her?" She asked.

"A manager at a gas station saw her picture on the news right before she came in the store. He called the police and told us the make and model of her car as well as the direction she was going." Cragen's arms were crossed and his stance rigid as he kept his eyes forward, watching Finn and Elliot take on Rodriguez.

Alex stood back as she watched, "What about Jonathan? Did they find him?"

Cragen glanced back at Alex, "No, she was alone in the car and was heading out of the state."

"I'll ask you again and you better give me an answer this time." Finn said. "Where's the boy?"

Rodriguez just sat there in silence defiantly eyeing down the detectives. "I already told you. I don't know where he is. I dropped him off with someone."

"So tell us where you dropped him off."

Rodriguez's lip went up in a snarl.

"Look," Elliot said as he took over Finn's position. "We already got you on first degree murder." He waved one of his hands in a reflective gesture. "Maybe the judge will go easier on you if you lead us to the boy."

Rodriguez shrugged her shoulders, "How do I know you ain't lyin'? I think I'll wait for my lawyer to make a deal."

Cragen knocked on the window, signaling for Elliot and Finn to walk out of there for a while.

When they joined them on the other side of the window, Cragen said to the crew, "We're not getting any more out of her without a deal; so get her lawyer and make her a deal. The longer we wait, the harder it will be to find that boy."

"Wait a minute Captain." Alex said. "I'm not about to cut a deal with her. She kept at least three kids locked up for months renting them out to pedophiles. Not to mention, she killed one of them. She deserves the death penalty."

Cragen turned to face Alex head on, "I don't like this either Alex; but this may be the only way we can find and save that little boy."

Alex's jaw clenched. "Life without parole, and no less."

"What kind of deal is that?" Said the attorney as she walked in, overhearing the conversation.

Alex cocked her head and turned to face her opponent. "One that keeps your client breathing."

The lawyer didn't look so smug now. "Let me go talk with my client."

Cragen shut off the sound to the room and let the lawyer go into the room behind them.

After a few minutes, Alex and Elliot went in to discuss the situation.

Cragen turned to Olivia. Finn had already wandered out of the room so it was just the two of them. "I thought I told you not to come in today."

Olivia looked over at Cragen, "I know." Olivia looked into the room and nodded toward Alex with her head. "Notice anything different?" Liv asked as she turned back to watch Cragen's expression.

Alex was standing talking to Elliot before she took her seat across from the attorney.

Cragen squinted in Alex's direction. Then a slow smile crossed his face as he looked down and shook his head. His hand made it to his forehead in surprise contemplation. "I had no idea." He said shaking his head as he looked back up.

"None of us did." Liv said as she turned around to finish watching the scene unfold.

"You're client deserves a pine box; but I'll settle for an eight by ten cell. Now tell me where the meet house was, where they plan on taking Jonathan and what they plan on doing with him." Alex said as she sat across from the attorney and Rodriguez.

The attorney nodded at Rodriguez to tell them what she knew. Her demeanor changed slightly. She shifted her weight forward as she leaned her hands on the table. "I dropped him off at an abandoned warehouse fifteen miles south of where you picked me up. Two guys met me outside it. They're called the runners. I don't know their names. They take the kids from the coyotes and other sources. They move them to the houses directly. I don't know where they took him; but he's still a viable resource. They'll use him again, and quickly." Rodriguez smirked as the disgust showed on Elliot's and Alex's faces.

"How do they know when to meet you?" Elliot asked.

"I call another middleman who calls them." Rodriguez answered.

"We need that number." Alex said as she turned a notepad and pen in the direction of the perp.

Rodriguez took it and scribbled down a name and number. "Happy now?" She remarked as she leaned back and crossed her arms again.

"That's all for now." Alex said as she gathered her things. "These officers will escort you to your cell."

After the attorney and Rodriguez had left the room, Alex and Elliot joined Cragen and Olivia.

"Elliot, you and Finn go find that warehouse." Cragen said pointing at Elliot.

"Oh no." Olivia said in protest. "I'm here; I'm going to that warehouse."

"You need more time off Olivia." Cragen said.

"You know I'm perfectly capable. I deserve to be in on this. Now either you let me go, or I'll go on my own." Olivia said as she started to walk out the door and past Cragen.

Cragen sighed letting her pass. "Don't get yourself blown up again." He called after her, but she dismissed him as she and Elliot where already walking out the door.

"It's no use arguing with her." Alex smiled as she started to walk out of the room.

Cragen raised his eyebrows in agreement. "That's for sure. . . Alex," He called before she too could walk away. "Congratulations." He pointed at her slightly protruding belly that was no longer hidden.

Alex blushed and paused as she said, "Thank you." Then she continued on her way out of the precinct.

An hour later, Elliot and Olivia arrived at the abandoned warehouse. The area was quiet and no cars were on the premises. The building wasn't very big, but it was still a lot of ground for the two of them to handle alone. About ten local officers had met them at the scene. Everyone had on their bullet proof vests.

Elliot opened the door and Olivia went in first with gun and flashlight up. They checked the corners as they moved around the building. Giant machines were covered with tarps. Elliot uncovered each one as they moved about the room. They found nothing. They continued to check the rest of the building careful for traps and more explosives.

It wasn't until they got to the very back of the building that they found a locked cellar door. Olivia spoke to one of the other officers who went to retrieve a pair of giant bolt cutters. They kept the noise down in case more perps were lurking inside the locked room.

The police officer stood ready to cut the lock. Elliot and Olivia stood ready to go inside. Liv motioned to the officer who cut the lock and the two of them, followed by the other nine officers, rushed down into the cellar.

They stopped when they came through the opening and re holstered their weapons as they looked around the room at the scene displayed before them.

Four children were huddled in the corner of the room. They were dirty and scantily dressed. There were two older girls around fourteen and two boys about four and ten. Dirty mattresses lay on the ground and a bucket sat in the corner for defecating. One of the girls stood in front of the other children, arms protectively in front of them.

Olivia slowly stepped forward. "It's ok. We're the police." She stopped about fifteen feet away.

The children stayed huddled together in apprehension. Then the four year old peaked out from behind the older children. He started to walk forward but the oldest girl held him back.

Olivia squatted to be eye level with the kids. "My name is Olivia. What's yours?" She said to the youngest boy.

He squirmed out of the girls hold and walked toward Olivia. He touched her vest. "I'm Javier."

Olivia looked the little boy in the eyes as hers started to water. "Ok Javier. I want you to go with this officer here, He's going to get you some food and check you out to make sure you're ok."

Javier nodded enthusiastically at the mention of food. He stepped toward the officer that Olivia had pointed out and he took him out of there.

Olivia looked back at the other kids and said directly to the girl that seemed to be in charge. "Can you tell me your name sweetie?"

"My name is Maura." The girl said with a thick accent.

Olivia nodded. "That's a nice name Maura. Where are you from?"

"My sister and I are from Scandinavia."

"Is that your sister?" Olivia asked as she looked at the other girl.

"Yes, her name is Marina." The girls started to walk toward Olivia. Maura motioned at the other boy to follow them. "You have food for us?"

"Yes. Yes I do." Olivia tried to keep her voice from cracking. "How long have you been down here?"

"We've all been down here for two days. The ugly men brought us water and toast today but that is all we've had to eat."

Olivia stood up and motioned to two other officers who led the girls out of the room.

The last boy stood slightly aback and shied away from all the people in the room.

"What's your name?" Liv asked.

"My name is Faruq."

Olivia's heart sank a little. She was hoping this was Jonathan. "Faruq, if you come with these nice officers, we'll get you fed and looked at by a doctor." Olivia said to the scared boy.

"Do you know where my mother is?" the boy asked.

"No sweetie, I don't. Come tell us about her and we'll try to find her."

The boy hesitated but eventually followed Olivia and an officer out of the building shading his eyes as they hit the sunlight. The boy went off with an officer in the back of an ambulance that had been called for each of the kids.

"Good job in there." Elliot said to Olivia as they walked back to their car.

"I was hoping we would find Jonathan in there too." Liv shook her head in frustration as she slid into the passenger side of their squad car.

"Well, we saved four other kids. I'd say that was a successful day." Elliot said as he started the ignition. "We also shut down that warehouse. . . again."

Olivia smirked at his attempt to lighten her mood; but after the sight that had just befallen them, not much would lift her spirit. Jonathan was still in the wind, or possibly even dead.

After spending the rest of the evening with the kids and getting each of their stories, Olivia headed back to her apartment. It was close to nine. On her way, she decided to call Alex.

"Hello." Alex answered.

"Hey, it's me. I just got done talking with the kids. None of them had seen Jonathan." Olivia said.

"I'll have to talk with Rodriguez again. Maybe she can give us more information."

"I'm not sure how much more we can get out of her. Hopefully CSU can get us something useful."

"We still have that cell number and a name. We could try giving it a call as we pretended to be someone wanting to get in on the business."

Liv shook her head even though she knew Alex couldn't see it. "That's too risky. We need to wait till we have more information about their operations or we risk losing them all together."

"Good point." Alex said. "Have you had anything for dinner?"

"Not yet." Olivia smiled as she reached down for her keys to her apartment.

"Good." Alex said as Olivia walked through the door. Alex walked over from the kitchen, "Because I made us some lasagna."

Olivia was pleasantly surprised. The aroma wafted through the apartment. Alex had two plates in her hands and she walked over to the bar and placed the plates down.

"How'd you get back in here?" Olivia asked.

Alex placed her hands on her hips and stood in front of Olivia in mock surprise. "I have my ways detective. And I'm not about to reveal them to you."

Liv smiled, she knew she'd probably gotten the spare key from Elliot which she had given to him in case of emergency. Dinner may not have been an emergency per say, but it did end her day on a good note.

The two of them sat down at the bar and talked about their day, about the case, and about the baby as they ate up the dinner Alex had made.

**A/N: The next chapter or so will focus more on the relationship between Alex and Olivia before they have a new break in the case that leads them to Jonathan and a slew of other suspects and brothels around the city!**


	6. Chapter 6 Initiated

Chapter 6: Initiated

It had been three weeks since the last break in the case. Rodriguez had been put behind bars until her trial in the next few days. Even though they had found four children, they still had no more leads. They had learned all they could about the way the ring operated. There was the head boss, then there were the middle managers, the coyotes, the runners, and the madams.

However dismal the situation seemed, that day would be a good day.

Olivia took Esmeralda by the hand and knelt down to look her in the eyes. In Spanish, she told the girl what all was about to happen.

Esmeralda bounced on her tip toes in anticipation.

Olivia smiled and stood once again as she led the girl down the hallway and then knocked on the door to Alex's office.

Alex opened the door with a warm smile across her face. "Come on in, they aren't here yet."

Esmeralda took a seat in one of the chairs as Liv and Alex talked in whispers behind her.

Then Olivia took a seat next to Esmeralda, and Alex took a seat behind her desk as they waited.

Five minutes later, there was a timid knock on the door. The three occupants in the room all stood. Liv went and opened the door.

An older gentleman, tanned from the sun, and bent from hard labor walked in first. His wife followed closely behind him holding onto his arm for support. She had a tissue in her hands as she had been crying the whole walk there.

When they came through the room, Esmeralda sprung toward them. "Mommy, Papi!" She shouted, and ran into their arms.

The woman cradled her in her embrace with tears streaming down her face. Tears fell over the man's face too as he laughed in sheer delight of the moment.

Alex had walked around to stand next to Olivia and grabbed her hand inconspicuously at the joyous scene in front of them. A single tear had escaped her eyes.

Olivia turned toward Alex and brushed it off with her thumb, giving her a grin as she did.

"Hormones." Alex quietly chuckled and rolled her eyes upwards as she placed a hand on her round belly. Then she grabbed some of the paperwork off her desk and walked toward Esmeralda's parents.

She led them each to a chair and Esmeralda sat in her father's lap as Alex placed the paperwork in front of them. They had been informed that not only would they be reunited with their daughter, but that Alex put in for them to gain asylum, and it had already been granted. They were now citizens of the United States. Her father could find a real, good paying, job and her mother could be reunited with her family. The only catch was that they needed to stay in New York for the duration of the trial so that they could use Esmeralda's testimony. Having no problem with the arrangements, they signed the papers eagerly.

After all the paperwork had been signed, the three of them walked out of Alex's office hand in hand, initiated into their new life.

Alex stood leaning her head on Olivia's shoulder as they watched them leave. "If only all these cases had such good endings as this."

Olivia kissed the top of Alex's head. "Come on, let's go get lunch."

The two of them walked into a deli on one of the side streets. They each picked up a wrap and a water bottle and Alex went off to find a seat as Olivia paid.

Alex took a bite of her wrap and waited for Liv to sit down. "I heard back from the Scandinavian Counselor."

Olivia took a bite of her wrap as well, as she nodded her head and wiped some dressing off the side of her lips. "Did they find the girls' parents?"

"Well, it seems that their father died while they were away, but they did manage to find their mother."

"That's terrible news to come home to." Olivia took a drink from her water bottle. "Can you imagine it, being gone for three years, enduring unimaginable physical and emotional pain, and when you finally make it home, life is not what you would have imagined it to be."

Alex shook her head and looked off in contemplation.

Liv noticed Alex's dilemma, and decided to broach the subject. "Are you afraid your baby will miss out on something, not having a father around?"

Alex was brought back into reality and picked up her wrap to take another bite, as it also gave her time to think. "Lots of women raise kids all on their own. Besides, Pierce wasn't really. . . the fatherly type."

"And you're not exactly on your own are you?" Olivia smirked at the rhetorical question.

Alex smiled. "No, I suppose I'm not." She said looking into Liv's eyes.

Olivia broke eye contact as she reached again for another sip of water. "But I do have to say, there's a special club for us girls that grow up without fathers."

Alex took a sip as well. "Then let's hope it's a boy." She laughed.

Olivia gulped down her water and pointed at Alex's stomach. "I don't care what it is as long as it's healthy." Olivia's eyes grew wider as she spoke and the smile grew across her lips.

Alex looked down at her stomach and put a hand over it and rubbed it. "I don't care either. A healthy baby is all I need. You hear that? Enjoy that wrap I just ate, and grow into a healthy baby boy or girl."

A few days later, Olivia escorted Javier and Faruq into the waiting area for Dr. Huang. Both were in foster care at the moment, although they were actively looking for adoptive parents for Javier.

When they took DNA from Javier, they found a match to a young homeless girl that had been murdered a few days before they found him. He had been held at the stash house for two days, thankfully never having had the chance to enter into one of the brothels.

Faruq on the other hand, had been born into the brothels. His mother was 14 when she had him, and he stayed at that house most of his life. His situation slightly differed from the others that were held in the houses. He took on a role of errand boy, as well as servant and slave. He also frequently entertained the guests before being "rented out". He also had a private tutor that home schooled him. His mother, having survived five years in the home before he was born, and had moved up in rank. She too had become a servant and entertainer. Of course, the sole purpose for allowing the two to survive the way they had, was to train them up to become a madam and a middle manager or runner.

Dr. Huang talked with Faruq first. He was having trouble adjusting to his new life. Not to mention, there was the stress of the upcoming trial for them to deal with. They talked about how he had ended up in the stash house. As it turned out, he had tried to run away while out on one of his errands; as punishment, he too had been locked up for two days. The supposed plan was to move him to another house for "employment", where he would be away from his mother, and away from the temptation of wanting to run.

Maura and Marina had been brought to the stash house with three other girls. They had all lived in the shack that had exploded on Olivia. They moved them there when the threat had surfaced that Rodriguez's home had been compromised. They had moved the three girls to new brothels, but didn't have a new home for the sisters yet.

After the meeting with Huang, Olivia took Javier and Faruq back to their foster parents. Looking down at her watch, she gave Elliot a call. "Hey, I just dropped the boys off with their foster parents. I have an appointment I have to catch."

"Ok, I'll give you a call if anything comes up." Elliot said from the other end of the phone.

"Thanks, bye." Olivia hung up her phone and jumped into the squad car.

Olivia arrived at the doctor's office ten minutes late. Alex had already been called back. She checked in with the nurse at the front counter and then made her way back to one of the examination rooms. She knocked on the door.

"Come in." Alex answered.

Olivia cracked open the door before going inside.

Alex was sitting up on the examination table. "I was worried you wouldn't make it."

Olivia walked over to her girlfriend and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Faruq took longer with Huang than expected. At least I didn't miss anything."

At that, the doctor knocked and then let herself in. "Good afternoon my dear. How is everything?"

Alex shook the doctor's hand. "Everything is great." Alex unabashedly took Olivia's hand in her own. "We can't wait to find out what the sex is."

Olivia was surprise at the motion. The relationship was still new for both of them, and their jobs didn't allow for obvious affection in front of others. This, however, was pleasantly refreshing.

"Alrighty dear, lay back and we'll have a look-sie." The doctor lifted Alex's shirt and placed a warm jelly across Alex's stomach. She was twenty weeks along. Again, the doctor went through the actions of measuring and accounting for limbs and heart beats. "Are you ready to find out?" The doctor teased once more.

Alex's grip on Olivia's hand got tighter.

The screen filled with the baby's legs, and then. . .

"Congratulations ladies." The doctor said as she pushed the print button on the ultrasound machine. "You're having a boy!"

The doctor wiped the jelly off of Alex's stomach and then handed her the pictures and flipped the lights back on as she walked out the door.

Alex sat up looking over the pictures in her hands.

Olivia wiped her eyes to keep from showing that they had started to water.

"Can you believe it?" Alex said still staring at the pictures. "I'm having a son."

Olivia pushed a hair back behind Alex's ear and looked longingly into Alex's eyes. Alex looked up at the gesture, "A beautiful, healthy baby boy." Said Olivia.

Olivia drove Alex home and walked her up to her apartment. They had bought Chinese take out on their way there for dinner. Alex held the food while Olivia unlocked and opened the door.

They took a seat on her couch and began to eat while discussing names.

"Jack, I love Jack." Said Olivia. "It's strong, timeless, and not to mention, cute."

Alex contemplated. "We can add that one to the list. What about Riley?"

"Mmm," Liv said with her mouth full. "Adorable. What about Tobias?"

Alex laughed and raised her eyebrows, "Seriously? Do you want the kid to get teased?"

"Jacob?"

Alex wove her chopstick in the air. "Overused, plus, I don't want him linked forever with a ware wolf."

Olivia shook her head yes in agreement, "Ethan?"

"I like. . . Parker?" Asked Alex.

"Yes!" Liv answered.

Alex took another bite. "You're a little too good at this Liv."

Olivia rolled her eyes and then got up to throw hers and Alex's trash away. When she came back into the living room, she said. "It's getting late. I'll see you in the morning. Ok?"

Alex got up and walked Olivia to the door. "See you then." Alex held the door open while Olivia slipped on her coat.

Before she walked out the door, Olivia slipped a hand behind Alex's neck and kissed her tenderly on the lips.

Alex returned the kiss, and then Olivia walked out the door, turning only once to offer a slight wave goodbye with a smile across her face.

The next day, Olivia met Alex outside her office. She handed Alex over a tea she had bought her and took a sip of her coffee.

Alex thanked her and the two took off for her office.

"Oh, Alex, there's someone here to see you. She's waiting in your office." The secretary said as Alex passed by.

"That's odd. I don't have any clients today." Alex said to Olivia.

Alex opened her door to find a woman standing near her desk gazing out her window. She turned when Alex and Olivia entered the room. She had deep brown, almost black hair that hung low between her shoulder blades, and startling blue eyes. She wore a tailored black pant suit with a turquoise undershirt. She had on black heels and sauntered toward Alex.

"Katie." Alex said in surprise. "What on earth are you doing here?"

Katie ignored Olivia's presence as she walked right up to Alex, staring into her eyes. "I came for you darling." Then Katie lowered her gaze to Alex's abdomen. "It seems you have been quite busy while I was away."

Alex shifted her weight. "Katie, you can't just walk right back into my life and expect things to be the way they used to be. Can't you see? Things have changed."

Katie took her eyes off Alex and looked between Olivia and the baby growing inside Alex. "Obviously not for the better." Katie took a few steps toward Olivia. "Who might you be?"

Olivia gave the girl a once over. Never one afraid of confrontation, she said, "I'm Detective Olivia Benson. I'm her girlfriend."

"Hmm, I see." Said Katie. She moved around the office with ease, looking at everything, "You and I have a lot of catching up to do Alex."

Alex stood there slightly dumbfounded.

Olivia walked over to Alex and put a hand on her arm and talked in a hushed tone. "I'll leave you two to catch up." Then she turned and walked out of the office.

"Wait Liv" Alex called after her, but she didn't acknowledge Alex as she kept up her pace, walking out of the building.

**A/N: Hmm, the evil ex shows up! Anyways, so I need help naming the baby. What shall it be: Jack, Riley, Ethan, or Parker? The one with the most votes wins! Pm me or put it in a review… As always, thanks for reading! **


	7. Chapter 7 Indecisive

Chapter 7: Indecisive

Olivia walked into the precinct flustered and took a seat at her desk. She started sifting through her e-mails.

Elliot walked over and took a seat as his desk. "What's eating you?" He asked Liv.

Olivia shook her head and put her right hand to her forehead as she continued filtering through her mail. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

Elliot sat there, quiet for a moment, as he formulated his next words. "Olivia, did you forget I've been your partner for over twelve years now, and I know when something is really bothering you?"

Olivia looked up at Elliot and sighed. "Alex's ex girlfriend showed up at her office today. It wouldn't be that big of a deal, but she just walked in like she had never left." Olivia shrugged her shoulders. "I mean, I have no idea what she saw in this woman."

Elliot smirked. "Hmm, women are the difficult breed."

Olivia wasn't impressed with the smug smile that crossed Elliot's face. In fact, it kind of pissed her off.

Elliot got up and walked around to where Liv sat. He put a hand on her shoulder and leaned down nonchalantly to speak to her, "Whatever Alex saw in that woman, it isn't there anymore." Elliot stood back up and started to walk off, but before he walked too far, he turned and threw up his hands as he said, "Trust me, she wouldn't leave you." Elliot turned back around and continued on his way leaving Olivia to mull over his words.

*-*/*-*/*-*/

Alex sighed in frustration as she turned around and shut the door behind her. "What do you want Katie?"

Katie walked back up to Alex and placed a tender touch on her stomach. "So who's the father?" She asked as she gazed back up into Alex's eyes.

Alex closed her eyes to fight the yearning that came from her touch. When she opened them, Katie was grinning at her. Alex softly pushed her hand off and went around her desk to take a seat in her chair. She motioned for Katie to take a seat across from her, which she did.

Alex interlaced her fingers laying them on her desk, leaning slightly forward. "You left me in Bosnia, by myself, with all those helpless children."

Katie scooted her chair forward and leaned over the desk looking directly into Alex's eyes. "I was needed back home in England."

"You still left me." Alex said with a slight tinge of regret looming in her voice.

Katie's eye contact broke as she leaned back in her chair and her jaw slid to the side, mouth slightly open. Then she looked back up at Alex, who was scowling in contemplation. Her mouth snapped shut before she then opened it again to speak. She raised her eyebrows and said, "It is my understanding that you followed me back."

Alex's finger hit her desk as she pointedly spoke. "I took a job there. It had nothing to do with you."

Katie smirked.

She got up and walked to the other side of the desk, next to Alex. She sat down on the top of the desk with her legs crossed and leaned forward, close to Alex. "I saw you there. . . you were looking for me; you found me."

Alex peeled her eyes away and looked down.

Katie leaned in closer and whispered into her ear. "You saw me with someone else, and decided to take revenge by sleeping with a man, who happens to now be my boss."

Alex looked back up, hurt from Katie's words, truthful though they may be.

Katie raised her eyebrows and tilted her head. She knew she was right. Then she looked back down at Alex's stomach and then into her eyes. "He told me about this. . . unfortunate situation."

Alex stood up suddenly and stepped in closer to Katie. "I regret nothing but having once fell for you."

Katie stood up to meet Alex's gaze. She stepped closer to Alex, encroaching on her space. She stood so close, that the baby was touching Katie's stomach.

Alex could feel her breath on her neck as Katie leaned in closer to speak.

"We shall see about that." Katie said, and then strolled away as fast as she had come.

She was gone. Alex closed her eyes and sat back down in her chair. She ran her fingers back through her hair in silent contemplation. _Why does this woman have such a hold over me?_

*-*/*-*/*-*/

Olivia stood, flipping through a new file involving a recent home invasion and rape case. She looked up when she heard someone calling her name.

"Olivia, just the person I wanted to see."

Liv was slightly taken aback by her presence. She shifted her stance and put the file down on her desk. "Is there something I can help you with Katie?"

Elliot saw the transaction taking placed and walked over to Finn and John who were watching too.

"As a matter of fact, there is." Katie stood in front of Olivia staring her right in the eye.

Liv didn't break the eye contact as Katie handed her a file.

"I believe one of your pedophiles has a girl of ours."

Olivia looked down at the folder as she opened it and flipped through. She saw a sketch of a girl about nine years old, as well as a color picture of the same girl. "How do you know one of our guys has her?" Liv asked as she closed the file and looked back up at Katie.

Katie watched Olivia closely. "I work International Sex Crimes. I just got word from Scandinavia. One of the girls there drew that picture. I believe her name was Maura? Anyways, as you can see, her sketch matched one of our missing person's files from London, and the counsel there in Scandinavia tells me the girls were found here. So, here I am."

"Well, I hate to break it to you, but we haven't had a break in the case since we found those girls." Olivia scowled and crossed her arms across her chest as she spoke.

"Hmm." Katie said as she scanned the room before looking back at Olivia. "Then it seems then that you haven't been doing your job here." Katie cocked her head to the side, trying to elicit a response from Olivia.

Liv raised her eyebrows and took a step closer, taking on the threat. "By all means, if you have any information that we're missing, then pass it on. If not, then I want you out of my precinct."

Katie grinned and then said, "Keep me informed detective. I'll be in touch." Then Katie turned and walked out again.

John spoke first, "Ok, is it just me, or did everyone else see the British version of Olivia too?"

"A bitchier version . . . in heels." Said Finn.

Elliot walked over to Olivia, "I see what you were worried about. . ."

Olivia's eyes widened as she looked over at Elliot. "You did not just say that." She picked up the file and pushed it over at Elliot as she walked off.

"Where are you going?" Elliot called after her.

She looked back over her shoulder. "In case anyone forgot, I have another case."

*-*/*-*/*-*/

Later that evening, Olivia collapsed on her couch. She was already in her grey lounge pants and a tank. She picked up the files that lay on her coffee table and started looking through them again. The case with the elusive pedophile ring had really been getting to her. As much as she hated to admit it, she did feel like Katie was right. Perhaps they weren't doing all they could on the case. The picture of the little girl was a new development, but not one that would help lead them to any of the players in the case.

Olivia sighed. Then she heard a timid knock on her door. She laid the files back down on the table and got up from her spot on the couch. She walked to the door and looked through her peep hole before opening it. "Come on in." She said.

Alex walked through the door troubled, and hung her jacket on one of the hooks behind Liv's door, before turning back to look at Olivia.

Olivia had barely shut the door when Alex blurted out, "I lied to you Liv." Her eyebrows were contorted in sorrow.

Olivia stopped and stared at Alex for a moment. Then she led Alex over to the couch and took a seat herself. She sat on the edge of the couch.

Alex leaned back into the pillows behind her, and stared up at the ceiling, letting a heavy sigh escape her mouth.

Olivia watched Alex's labored breathing. "What about?" She asked, unsure she wanted to know the answer, but also needing to know.

Alex sat back up and looked over at Olivia. "I didn't leave Katie behind in Bosnia, she left me . . . and then I followed her to London."

Olivia looked away as she tried to digest Alex's words.

Alex tried to place a hand on Liv's leg, but Olivia shied away from the touch and stood up.

Olivia paced the room a little before turning back to Alex, "So is this baby payback for her leaving you? Is this relationship payback?"

Alex closed her eyes at the accusations. "Not at all." Said Alex as she stood up again and walked over to Olivia.

Liv was standing, braced against the half wall that separated her kitchen and her living room. She stared off into her kitchen, away from Alex and her words.

Alex walked up behind Olivia. Her arms dropped onto Olivia's waist as she wrapped her arms around her. She couldn't get as close as she wanted, due to the baby, but she leaned her forehead down on the back of Olivia's shoulder. "This baby just happen Liv, I didn't plan on it."

Olivia closed her eyes feeling, and loving, the warmth of Alex at her back, even loving the little bump that separated them.

When Olivia didn't turn around, Alex continued talking to her in whispers. "I've always loved you Olivia. I just, didn't know how to show you, or tell you that." Alex left her head on her back as she felt the rising and falling of Olivia's breathing.

Liv felt a yearn growing deep inside her own stomach. She knew she wanted Alex, but again, life experience had proven to her, that it was better to keep people at a distance. She didn't know how to fully let Alex in. Ironically she knew she had already let her in, and there was no getting her out. However, her strong outside refused to let it show, and so instead, she lashed out at the one she longed for.

"I can't do this Alex." Olivia turned around to face her.

Alex looked down afraid she would let tears escape her eyes. When she had regained her composure she looked back up at Liv.

"This is just all so fast. We've barely been together for a month, you're having a baby, and with your ex being back, I just don't know Alex." Olivia tried to argue.

Starting to feel desperate, Alex replied, "I want nothing to do with her. You're the only one I want."

Olivia looked down as her lips formed a tight bond to each other and shook her head. "I just can't do this Alex." She looked into Alex's eyes that were now the ones searching hers.

Alex clenched her jaw and walked toward the door. She grabbed her jacket and slipped it on. She grabbed the door knob and looked back over at Olivia who was staring far off and away from Alex. "I'll be here waiting . . . if you change your mind."

The door shut behind Alex and Olivia turned to look at the last place Alex had been standing. _What have I just done?_

**A/N: Don't worry, Liv will come around, but not before Alex's life and the life of her unborn child is put in danger! So far, Riley has 5 votes, Parker and Jack have 3, and Ethan has 1. Although I was informed that I forgot one of the evil Da's name was Jack! I already had to nix two other names b/c duh they were evil perps lol oops. I was just using a list I had made right before I had a miscarriage to live vicariously through Alex! (although I don't know what the sex was) Writing is therapeutic. . . and so is yoga. . . and reviews *wink***


	8. Chapter 8 Inescapable

Chapter 8: Inescapable

It had been one month; one month since the argument that led to Olivia breaking up with Alex, one month since Katie had come to the states, and one month that had continued to lend no leads in the case. It had also been one month since Olivia had really slept.

Liv drudged into the precinct that morning on her way to pour herself the necessary cup of coffee. When she turned to head to her desk, she saw a young girl in her early twenties standing at the entrance to the precinct. The girl looked nervous and then turned to walk away.

Olivia sat down her coffee and headed out the door to catch up with the girl. "Hey, wait up." Olivia called after her.

The girl started talking fast and in Arabic. She kept walking, glancing behind her and off in different directions.

Olivia caught up and stopped in front of her. "Why don't you come back with me to the precinct? We can talk about this there."

The girls leg shook and she grabbed one of her arms as she again took furtive glances in different directions before nodding her head yes.

Olivia turned the girl around and wrapped a protective arm around her shoulder to lead her back to the precinct. When they got there, she sat the girl down in a chair right next to her desk. Olivia sat down and leaned forward, with her elbows resting on her knees. "Do you want to tell me about what happened?"

The girl looked down and mumbled in English, "They'll kill me."

Olivia's eyebrows furrowed. "No one is going to hurt you as long as you talk to me. What's your name?"

The girl looked up with tears running down her cheeks. "My name is Rasha. I just want my son back. They took him away; I don't know where he is." Her accent was thick, but her English was still very good.

Olivia nodded her head, "Can you tell me your son's name?"

"Faruq." The girl nodded, "His name is Faruq; it means, he that knows the truth."

Olivia's mouth dropped slightly. _It couldn't be. . . but it was._ "Elliot!" Liv yelled in the direction Elliot was walking.

Elliot turned and ran over to Olivia and the girl. "What is it Liv?"

Olivia's eyes widened as she looked up at Elliot. "This is Faruq's mother."

Rasha looked between the two. Olivia had started wilding flipping through files. "You know him? You know where he is?" Rasha asked.

Olivia paused and turned to look at the girl. "Yes, I've met your son. He's perfectly fine." Liv smiled as tears sprung once again onto the girls face as she covered her mouth with her hands to keep from crying out.

Liv brought out a file and flipped to a picture of the little boy. "Is this him?"

Rasha took the pictures in her shaking hands. "Yes." She looked back up at Olivia, "This is him."

Elliot ran over to the phone at his desk and started calling everyone. He called Cragen, CPS, and Alex. After a few minutes, he walked back over to Olivia and Rasha. "A caseworker is going to pick up your son from his foster parents. They should be here within the next two hours."

Olivia handed the girl another tissue. "Let's go someplace a little more private so we can talk." She helped Rasha up and the three of them walked upstairs and let her sit down on one of the couches.

*-*/*-*/*-*/

Alex leaned back in her chair. She had just got the call from Elliot that one of the kid's mothers had just walked into the precinct. She smiled to herself as she dug out her cell.

"This is Detective Katie Ryan."

"Katie, it's me Alex. They got a new break in the case." Alex said.

"Hmm, I can meet you at the precinct in twenty."

"I'll be there." Alex hung up her phone and got up from her chair, and then walked out the door on her way to the 1-6.

*-*/*-*/*-*/

Olivia sat on the couch next to Rasha and placed a comforting hand on her knee. "Can you tell me about the day he left?"

The girl nodded her head.

Elliot sat in a chair across from them and started taking notes.

"It was a Saturday morning. The night before had been a terrible night." A heartbreaking look of despair showed across her face.

"It's ok, try to take your time." Said Olivia.

"The men, they do bad things to Faruq, just like they do to me." She looked down into her lap again.

"How many men where there, that Friday night?" Liv asked.

"I don't know, maybe four?"

Olivia looked to Elliot who was writing this down. He nodded and blinked that he got the information.

"The next day, our madam asked him to run to the store for a pack of smokes. I waved him goodbye and slipped him a twenty that I had stole off one of the men the previous night." Rasha started crying heavily at that statement. Her chest was heaving as she continued trying to breath. "It was my fault. That man woke up early and noticed his money was gone. They knew I had taken it. They beat me, and when they couldn't find it, they knew Faruq had taken it to run away." Rasha's eyes got big and desperate as she relived her story.

Elliot continued writing. "What happened next?" He asked.

Rasha's breathing returned to normal as she continued. "Our madam called a runner. I knew they would beat him, and possibly even kill him. He never came back. They told me they moved him to a stash house until they could find a more suitable home for him; but I knew you had him."

"How did you know that?' Olivia asked.

"I would suppose it's because she heard through the grapevine, that the stash house had been compromised." Katie walked through the opening to join them. Her hair was half pulled back into a pony while the other half hair hung around her shoulders. She was wearing a black paint suit with a deep purple undershirt and heels.

Olivia stood up and walked over to Katie. She braced herself in front of her, crossing her arms. "And who called you to help on the case?"

"I did." Said Alex, as she too walked in through the door. "This case falls under the jurisdiction of the International Sex Crimes Bureau."

"Like it or not," Said Katie, "I'm here for this one." She cocked her head to the side and grinned at Olivia.

Olivia stepped to the side to let Katie through. Then she headed past Alex and out the door.

Alex followed Liv, "Olivia, wait up."

Olivia turned at the mention of her voice. Her head tilted slightly to the side and her shoulders shrugged. "Alex, what do you want from me?"

Alex caught up to Liv on the main floor. _What don't I want from you? _"You're still the lead detective on this case Liv."

Katie walked out of the upper room. "We have an address. Someone call SWAT, we're moving in."

Olivia raised her eyebrows and glanced over at Alex, then back over at Katie.

"Wait." Elliot said as he walked closely behind Katie. "We can't go in hard like that, we need to move in stealth, go undercover again."

Katie whirled around. "You've done that already. The only thing you managed, was to spook the leader and make them run, losing your only opportunity. I won't let you do that again."

Olivia walked up behind Katie and snapped up the paper with the address on it. She looked down at it and then back up at Katie and Elliot. "She's right. We need to move hard and fast if we want to catch these guys."

Alex walked up to them, "I'm going with you."

Olivia turned to look at Alex, "It's too dangerous for you. Why don't you wait here and we'll get word back to you as soon as we can."

Alex shifted her weight and looked Olivia directly in the eyes, "I'm going. As ADA for this case, I have the right to be there."

Olivia let out an exasperated sigh as she looked down at Alex's stomach. "What if there's another explosion?"

"I can take care of myself Liv."

Katie leaned in then and added, "Oh, let her come. If she gets in any danger, I'm sure you'll be there to protect her." Katie winked at Olivia and then took off.

*-*/*-*/*-*/

"I can barely breathe in this." Alex said as she adjusted the bullet proof vest. "This was obviously not made for pregnant women." Alex took it off.

"Here," Said Olivia, "Try the next size larger."

The SWAT team was already in place, and the detectives, Captain Cragen, and Alex were preparing to enter the house.

Alex tried it on. "No, it just doesn't fit right."

"Then you're not going in until the whole area is secured." Olivia looked Alex in the eyes to make sure that Alex heard and would do as she said.

Alex pursed her lips and nodded her head. "You're in charge."

Olivia walked to the front of the line, ready to go in.

Katie walked by Alex and whispered into her ear, "I see why you like her." Katie kept walking not even looking back at the reaction from her words.

Alex was ready to protest, but Katie didn't give her time. Besides, she did still like, no, actually loved Olivia. She stood back and watched as SWAT broke down the door and Olivia lead the charge into the house. She heard a couple shots go off, and a lot of shouting. A couple of the officers drug out a few guys and a lady in cuffs, but no kids.

Alex waited a few more minutes, but nothing else happened. She headed into the house. It had been emptied. She walked through the kitchen, looking for a basement entrance, but there was nothing. Alex looked out the back window, and saw Olivia and Katie getting ready to enter a storage unit that was outback. SWAT and a few more officers waited with them in the back.

Alex combed through the rest of the house, looking for any other entrances to the basement. A house like this had to have one. She walked through the back bedrooms and then came upon one with a rug. It was the only room in the house with a rug. She bent down, although bending was starting to get harder, so it was more like a squat, and she pulled the rug back.

A small latch lay in the floor. She called out for help, but no one else heard her, they were all outside. Alex stood there for a moment trying to decide what to do when she heard the voice of a boy calling out.

"Help, we're trapped in here!" Came the voice from the latch.

Alex again squatted down and reached for the small ring that let her hoist the door open. A short, but steep staircase led down into a basement.

"We're down here." The boy said again.

Alex looked around for help again, but finding no one she called out again, "Are you hurt? Can you walk out?"

There was a pause before she heard the timid and shaking voice speak again, "We're locked in."

"Ok, don't worry; I'm coming to get you." Alex took a tentative step down the steep stairs, and then another. She braced herself with a hand against the wall to keep from falling. Once she made it to the threshold, she called out again, "Where are you?"

"Back here." Came the voice.

Again, this basement was set up like the others, a narrow hallway flanked by doors with bedrooms on either side. Alex opened each one and looked in, but no one was in there. She came to the last door and opened it.

Inside, she saw five kids huddled on one of the bunk beds. Her heart broke and she started to take a step toward them when she saw a little boy standing slightly off to the side. It was the boy that had been calling out to her. "What's your name?"

The boy had a terrified look on his face and he looked past her as he said, "I'm Jonathan." Then he turned his head and looked down and off to the side.

Alex's brow furrowed and then she felt the cold press of steel against the side of her forehead.

"Don't move another muscle."

*-*/*-*/*-*/

There was nothing in the storage unit except a lawn mower, other equipment, and storage. Olivia looked around the back yard.

"We must have missed something." Katie said looking around.

"Or, maybe Rasha gave us the wrong address." Elliot said.

Olivia placed her hands on her hips. "No, those people in there were hiding something. Let's go see what they know."

Katie and Olivia walked back through the house and out the front door.

Katie went and talked with one of the officers who had the woman with him.

"Hey," Olivia said, "Where'd Alex go?"

One of the officers turned around, "You mean that pregnant chick? She took off into the house after we pulled these scum bags out."

Olivia and Katie ran back into the house. Olivia came across the room with the hatch and pulled out her gun. Katie followed behind her and did the same.

Liv walked slowly down the stairs and pushed open each door, peeking in. Then she came to the last door. She listened for a moment and then flew the door wide open. She froze when she saw what was in front of her.

"Put your gun down or I'll shoot her." Yelled the man with the gun pointed at Alex. He had one arm wrapped around her throat, she was pulled up close to him, and the gun was still at her forehead.

"Ok, OK." Olivia took one hand off the gun and moved to lay it down on the floor.

Katie walked in the room having seen everything that happened. Her nostrils flared and her lips were pursed as she stepped closer.

"Put it down!" Yelled the perp.

Katie took a look around the room. All the kids were now huddled in a bottom bunk. Then her eyes snapped back to the man holding Alex at gun point.

The man was slightly overweight with a scraggly beard. It was brown, but a few white hairs had started growing. He wore a tucked in plaid shirt and blue jeans.

Katie's jaw clenched. "I'm not putting this gun down until you let these kids go."

The man smirked, slightly chuckling. "That ain't how it works sweetie."

Olivia never took her eyes off the man and Alex. Alex's breathing had gotten faster. "Katie, put it down, then we can talk to this guy."

"No!" Katie yelled. Her eyes started to water. "You raped my niece!" Tears started falling from Katie's eyes as she looked over at one of the girls in the bunk.

Alex closed her eyes, trying to still her body from shaking.

"Katie, put it down now!" Olivia was yelling now.

"I can't." Katie sobbed and started to raise her gun with shaking arms. "You have to pay for what you've done!"

The man moved his gun south. It was now pointed at Alex's stomach. "Shoot . . . and you kill her baby."

Olivia slowly turned and stepped back toward Katie. She leaned in and talked in a hush tone, but loud enough for everyone to hear. "Your niece is safe now Katie. You have to put your gun down, or he will kill Alex and her baby. You don't want their blood on your hands."

Katie's jaw clenched and then her body started to release some tension.

Olivia was facing Katie, with her back to Alex. She placed a hand on the top of the gun and helped her to lower it.

Katie's eyes were glued to the perps. When she started to lower the gun, her eyes shifted over to the bed where her niece was. Then she heard a loud blast.

Olivia and Katie fell to the floor. Katie had been shot in the shoulder.

Olivia looked back up at the perp, her eyes grew wide and panic started to overtake, but then she calmed herself.

Alex stood there shaking with the gun pointed again at her head. Olivia turned her attention back to Katie. She was starting to bleed out and was barely conscious.

"I'm sorry Olivia; I should have listened to you." Katie's head rolled side to side.

Olivia clenched her jaw and ripped part of Katie's under shirt. She had been shot in the arm where the vest had stopped. She wrapped the shirt scrap tight around Katie's arm and then slowly stood back up and turned around.

Tears started to fill Olivia's eyes as she saw how scared Alex was. Now was not the time to show that fear though. She saw a trail of water leading down Alex's legs and a small puddle beneath her feet. Her water had broken.

"She was a defiant one." Said the man holding Alex with an evil smile.

Olivia put her hands up toward him, "Please, you don't have to do this. Put the gun down, and we'll all get out of this alive."

His eyebrows went up, "Well, since it seems like I'm the only one with a gun, I believe the odds are in my favor. So, why don't you do what I ask."

"What do you want?" Liv asked.

"Go back on out there and tell your buddies to back off; then we'll go from there."

"I'm not leaving her," Said Olivia, "Or these kids. Let her go. You can take me."

"Not a chance cupcake. I got me a two for one right here." He pointed his gun back down at Alex's stomach.

"Please Liv. Just do what he asks." Alex pleaded with Olivia, her eyes searching Liv's unwavering ones.

Olivia stood there for a few seconds that felt more like minutes.

"Well? What's it gonna be?"

Liv's eyes never left the perps. "Let the kids go, and then I'll do as you ask."

His nose flared and he let out a heavy sigh as he glanced over at the kids. "Fine, let them go."

Olivia didn't take her eyes off him as she spoke to the children. "I want everyone to slowly get up and walk out this door. Walk directly to the first policeman you see. Do not run, walk." She looked only to Alex who watched the kids and gave her a slight nod when the last one had walked out of the room.

Olivia waited a few more minutes to make sure that the kids were safe. "What guarantees do I have that you won't shoot me on the way out?"

He cocked his head off to the side before returning to his position slightly behind Alex. "I guess you have none."

Alex let out a low moan. "Liv." Her body was starting to try to hunch over.

Olivia could see Alex's stomach contracting. "Fine." Olivia slowly walked backwards out the door and up the stairs.

She looked around. She saw the oldest boy standing by Captain Cragen. She hurried over to them. "Alex's water broke, and she's starting to contract. He has a single gun pointed at her head, and Katie has been shot. She's bleeding out."

"We know Liv, Jonathan told us. We're prepared." Cragen answered.

She turned around and walked to the barricade that had been put up. Many of the SWAT team where waiting right outside the entrance.

Then the perp showed up at the front door with Alex in front of him. He still had the gun pointed to her head. He slowly walked out.

One of the SWAT team negotiators had a megaphone and began talking to him. "My name is Officer Dan. I'm a hostage negotiator. Tell me what it is you want."

"I don't think you can give me what I want!"

"Tell me, and I'll do my best to try; but I can't help you if you don't tell me."

The perp started yelling and taking a few more steps forward.

"Sir I'm going to have to ask you to stand still."

He stopped moving and yelled some more and then he started waving his gun around at the SWAT team.

Then a loud "BOOM" filled the air.

Alex and the perp both went down.

"Alex!' Olivia yelled and ran toward them.

"Wait, Olivia!" Cragen yelled, but it was to no avail.

Olivia was already at Alex's side. Liv kicked the gun away from the fallen perp and leaned down to check Alex. Alex was unconscious.

Officers flew to apprehend the perp, but he had been shot in the head by a sniper that was on the roof of the house. More officers went back into the house to get Katie out.

Olivia placed her hands under Alex and scooped her up, and cradled her in her arms. Then she stood and carried her over to an ambulance that was just arriving.


	9. Chapter 9 Intangible

Chapter 9: Intangible

It was early the next morning. Except for a small light above the bed, darkness still filled the stark hospital room where Alex lay.

Olivia leaned back in one of the chairs, willing her eyes to stay closed for a moment longer. She had stayed up practically all night just hoping that Alex would wake up. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around the room. Everything was still in its place.

Liv got up from her chair and went to the sink to splash some water in her face. The sun had started to slowly enter the room and was making shadows dance on the floor and walls.

"Olivia," A small moan came from the other side of the room. "Olivia."

Liv walked over to Alex's bed and sat down on the side of it. "Shh, I'm right here."

Alex looked up at Olivia straining to open her eyes and fight the exhaustion that consumed her. "Riley. Is Riley ok?"

"Yes." Olivia shook her head with tears threatening to surface. "Yes, for right now, he's fine."

Alex closed her eyes again and let her head roll toward the side Olivia was sitting on.

Olivia ran her fingers softly through Alex's hair and let her drift back into sleep. When she was sure Alex was fully asleep again, Olivia turned her attention to the now kicking presence inside of Alex's abdomen. Olivia smiled as she felt him moving, wanting out, but needing to stay inside. "Riley." She smiled. "You're name is Riley."

Liv slid herself under the covers, thankful the IV's were on the other side of the bed. She wrapped one arm under her own head and her other over the top of Alex's stomach. She lay there watching Alex sleep as her own body threatened to once again shut down.

A few hours later, a nurse walked in awakening Olivia from her slumber. She slowly sat up and leaned her legs over the side of the bed, rubbing her face to help her wake up.

The nurse walked in and got her equipment ready. "Has she woken up since the last time I was in here?" The nurse asked as she walked to the IV to change out one of the bags.

Olivia stood and turned to face the nurse. She crossed her arms and sighed, "Just once. She woke up asking about the baby and then fell back asleep."

"Mmm," The nurse hummed as she began taking Alex's temperature. "That's a good sign dear." The nurse eyed a still exhausted, and out of sorts Olivia. "Her OB will be here in an hour to do another ultrasound to make sure nothing has changed overnight. Her temperature is low, but we'll keep the antibiotics flowing through her system, just in case."

Liv nodded at the nurse as she walked back out of the room. Then she sat back down on the side of the bed as Alex began to stir.

"Liv, what happened?" Alex mumbled as she opened her eyes once more.

"You went into labor while you were being held hostage." Liv helped Alex sit up and propped some pillows behind her back. "The man who had you, was shot by a sniper when you left the house. You went into shock and passed out."

"What about Riley?"

"They were able to stop your contractions; unfortunately your water did break, so there's risk of infection. They want to keep you here for a few days for observation. After that, you're on strict bed rest."

Alex relaxed into the back of her pillows letting out a deep sigh as she tried to digest everything that had happened and everything Olivia had told her."What about Katie? Is she ok?"

"They kept her overnight too, but she'll be fine. They've already booked her and her niece a flight back to London in a few days."

"Damn it." Alex said, "I didn't know that it was her niece that she was after."

Olivia shook her head, "Neither did I; and if I had, there was no way she would have been allowed to go in that house."

Alex chuckled under her breath, "She's always been secretive."

Olivia took a deep breath and then let it out. She pulled her legs back into the bed and lay propped up on her side facing Alex. "So why were you with her?" Liv asked Alex.

Alex looked back at Olivia and looked longingly into her eyes. "She reminded me of you." She paused for a moment before adding in a higher more joking tone, "Well, at least the badass side of you," Alex watched Liv chuckle at her statement before adding, "But she was missing the loving, caring, and devoted nature that I so admire and love in you."

Olivia half smiled and looked down at her twiddling thumbs. Then she leaned her head back again and met Alex's penetrating gaze. "Alex, when I ended what we had, it wasn't because I didn't want to be with you. I was just scared at the vulnerability that you made me feel."

Alex smiled to herself and then cupped Olivia's cheek in her hand in a loving gesture. "What we had, never ended."

Liv relaxed in the comforting hand of her love. Then she cuddled on Alex's shoulder, watching her breasts move with each breath she took. "When I'm with you 'Lex, I no longer feel like I'm running without a purpose. I find myself; and I'm no longer running blind."

Alex closed her eyes, soaking up Olivia's words. Then she gave her lover a tender kiss on the top of her forehead.

The tender kiss turned into a passionate one as Olivia sat back up and their lips met in fervent need. Alex leaned her head back soaking up the feeling of Olivia's lips on her neck and moving back behind her ear before Alex cupped Olivia's face pulling her mouth back over hers eagerly. What lasted only a few minutes, felt more like the desires of a lifetime being laid bare.

A knock came on the door and Olivia got up out of the bed to answer it.

Alex ran her fingers through her hair straightening the tangles out.

Cragen walked through the door. He said his hello's to both ladies. "I'm sorry about what happened yesterday Alex; I'll be sending in someone to get your statements later. I just wanted to make sure you and the baby were doing all right."

Alex nodded as Olivia walked back to join her, "We're doing ok. It seems I'll be on bed rest for the next fifteen weeks or so; but as long as Riley gets here safe, I'm ok with it." Alex grinned and then added, "However, I do so wish that I could be the one that puts all those scum bags behind bars."

Cragen shifted his weight and stuck his hands in his pockets. "You may not be the one trying them, but your testimony will defiantly put them behind bars."

Alex knew his words were true, but she still wished she could be the one to watch them squirm under her presence. She laid her head on Olivia's shoulder, relinquishing those feelings for the time being.

"Well, I leave you two alone. Don't hesitate to call if you need anything; and I mean it."

"Thanks Captain." Alex said and waved as he left the room.

Olivia wrapped her arms around Alex, embracing her, and closing her eyes. Then she relinquished her hold and asked, "So have you picked out a middle name for Riley?"

"Actually, I was thinking it might make his name too long."

"Why's that?" Olivia questioned.

Alex smirked, "I knew you'd come around." She paused as she saw a slightly confused look cross Liv's face. "I imagined he'd have two last names."

Liv once again curled up on the bed and placed her hand over the still restless Riley. "I'd love him to have two last names."

"I think Riley Benson- Cabot sounds the best don't you?"

Liv looked back up into Alex's eyes, "It's the best name I've ever heard."


	10. Chapter 10 Innumerable

Chapter 10: Innumerable

Olivia paced the small hospital room. They had been there for six days already. A small infection had been detected and so Alex hadn't been allowed to leave until it had cleared. However, today was the day that Alex would be released.

Alex hadn't yet bought any maternity clothing. Somehow, during her short visit at the hospital, she had outgrown her regular clothing.

So, Olivia had gone out and bought her an outfit. Olivia paused when she heard the door to the restroom crack open.

Alex walked out of the restroom with an anxious look on her face. She had on a pair of black maternity slacks and a simple white maternity button up shirt. Elliot had brought her glasses to the hospital, so she was now wearing those too. At twenty six weeks pregnant, her pregnancy was very obvious. "I look like a blown up whale in this."

Olivia looked at her with a grin and walked over to her. "You look beautiful." She walked behind Alex and rested her chin on her shoulder and hands on her hips. There was a small mirror outside the bathroom which Olivia had turned Alex towards. They were both now looking at Alex in the mirror. "And. . . for a whale, you still look pretty hot." Liv ducked away from the playful swat.

Alex turned to look back at Olivia. "I should have you arrested for bantering a victim Ms Benson."

"Ooo," Liv continued, furrowing her brows in lighthearted humor, "Should I cuff myself or would you like the honors?"

Alex smirked and stepped closer, placing her hands on Olivia's hips. Her tone lowered, "Now that is something I would love to have the honor of doing."

Olivia was about to respond with another sarcastic, and now seductive, threat when a nurse walked in.

Having over heard most of their conversation, the nurse eyed them saying, "That will have to wait until after you have that baby Alex." Her tone was neither condemning, nor playful, it was just factual. She rolled the wheelchair closer to Alex.

Alex pouted playfully back at Olivia and then took a seat in the wheelchair. Alex then signed some discharge papers and Liv grabbed the handles of the chair and wheeled her out of the room.

They started down the hallway when Cragen walked up to join them.

He had been keeping them updated on the case, mostly with calls. So far, they had a few confessions to rape. Unfortunately, during another thorough investigation of the grounds, they had found two more bodies of child victims, which of course, no one was claiming to have murdered. They also had to find a way to get some of the members to flip on the other houses and members in the area. "We are dealing with an incredibly resourced adversary. We need to find a way to get them to talk."

They kept talking as Olivia rolled Alex down the hallway.

"I've dealt with these types of groups before. They operate in elite crime syndicates. Often it is so that one ring can't finger the other." Alex said.

"We need to break them down before we can find their leader." Olivia said.

"We have warrants to search each of their homes, so if there's something there, we'll find it." Cragen said.

Alex shook her head, "Most likely there won't be. Charge one of them with murder two and then get them to flip on the rest of the ring for a deal."

"Do we have a good federal prosecutor lined up?" Olivia asked Cragen.

He paused in his steps and tilted his head to the side. "Only the best . . ." He said before adding, "I've contacted Abbie Carmichael. She'll be in later today to help us with whatever we need."

*-*/*-*/*-*/

"You think I'm some dumb cop?" Elliot asked, voice tinged with rage, but still under control. He had been pacing the dimly lit interrogation room sweating the "madam" of the brothel.

She sat cuffed to the table. Her name was Lisa Devon. She looked ten years older than she actually was. She just sat there as if unscathed by having been caught. "I ain't givin' up anyone I know."

Elliot was in her face now. "You think their big-wig, expensive lawyer can help you?"

Lisa looked over at Elliot. "What do you know." She blew him off.

Elliot stepped back and wiped his mouth off with his hand in an effort to calm his nerves. "What I don't get, is that you grew up like this. You were raped repeatedly as a child." His voice grew louder, "And then, when you grew up, you did the exact same thing to other kids." His voice was laden with disgust.

Lisa looked down but quickly looked back up at Elliot and stared into his eyes. "I only did it for the money."

Elliot rolled up his sleeves and leaned in close. "You're nothing but a low life pimp who sells other children to perverts."

"Mmm," Lisa grumbled, "That's what you're booking me for right."

"Actually," Abbie said as she entered the small room. "You're facing several charges." Abbie sat down in the chair across from Lisa. "Commercialized sexual exploitation against children, multiple accounts of kidnapping, coercion, fraud, abduction, prostitution, exploitation, all of which lead up to a sex abuse three charge which gives you a minimum of fifteen years in prison for each act and for each child you are convicted of assaulting. Last, and most importantly, you're looking at taking the charges of two murder two indictments for the children we found buried in your yard."

Lisa sat there paralyzed by the words Abbie had just spoken.

Elliot smirked and walked up behind her. He leaned in to taunt in her ear, "There's not a lawyer on earth who could get you out of this one."

Abbie crossed her hands on top of the case file lying on the table. Her dimples showed as she again spoke, "Care to give up any information now?"

Cragen and Olivia stood behind the one way mirror.

"Alex was right." Cragen said as he leaned in closer to the mirror, "Charge her with murder two and she'll flip." He was slightly amused. Of course, some of the other charges wouldn't stick, but they did make for a lofty and very threatening speech.

Olivia stood aback impressed, "We might actually get the whole ring out of this."

Lisa was already spilling out names of customers and runners.

"Let's hope we do." Cragen said, "Let's hope we do."

*-*/*-*/*-*/

The holding cell in the precinct was filled to capacity with people involved in the pedophile ring. Customers, runners, madams, and even a coyote were crammed into the cell. They had even managed to get their hands on one middle manager. He was sweating it out in an investigation room.

The squad had their hands full. Not only had they unearthed six more houses, they had recovered thirty five more children. Caseworkers, kids, advocates, and police officers buzzed around the precinct.

Officers and detectives were extremely busy booking perps and interviewing the child victims. Dr. George Huang set up a small kid friendly room where he was able to talk with the kids. Each one was going to need extensive therapy for years in order to recover.

Cragen was in his office talking on the phone with the mayor, trying to keep the media at bay, and arranging yet another search for the elusive ring leader. Their best chance was the middle manager and they all knew it.

Olivia had just taken down another statement from one of the kids. "Ok sweetie. That's all for now."

The child, who couldn't have been older than eight, tugged on the ends of her sleeves. "Will my mommy be coming to pick me up?"

Olivia eyed the caseworker with pain in her heart. "We'll do our best to find her." She knew that most of these kids' parents were either dead or had no idea they were missing. Most would enter foster care and most likely age out of the system.

The caseworker mouthed "Thank you" and took the child by the shoulders and led her over to a waiting area.

Olivia buried her head in her hands and then hurriedly stood and walked to Cragen's office. She burst through the door and waited for Cragen to hang up the phone.

Cragen put the phone down and looked up at Olivia. "What is it Liv?" He asked exhausted.

She started to pace the small office. "I'm sick of these pedophiles." She almost yelled at Cragen. She paused and then added, "These guys are animals, taking advantage of these exploited children. Most of whom will never even know what it is to be loved."

Cragen got up from behind his desk and went around to sit on the edge of it, facing Olivia. "We caught them before they could do more damage; before they could expand any more."

Olivia crossed her arms and looked down at the floor before returning her gaze to Cragen. Her voice was tinged with grief and her eyes glazed over as she said, "They were already 'grooming' some of these kids to become leaders in their sick organization. And that is exactly what will happen once most of them age out of the system. How do we stop that?"

Cragen sighed deeply. "Huang once said, 'Every elephant is grey, but not everything grey is an elephant'." He looked back up at Olivia, "Get them the help they need, and we won't have to look for as many elephants down the road."

Olivia nodded her head in agreement. "And the best way to do that is by catching the bastard who claims to be the leader of this organization."

The phone rang again and Cragen went to answer it.

Olivia stormed out of the office and walked straight to the interrogation room that they were holding the middle manager in. The precinct was so busy that no one even noticed she had gone in there.

"Thank god." Said the perp who sat in the interrogation room, "I was beginning to think you people were just going to leave me in here forever." A smug smile crossed his face.

Olivia shut the door slowly behind her, trying with all her might to control the rage building inside. She rolled up her sleeves and controlled her pace as she walked over to the perp. "There's no god where you'll be going Charlie." She said as she bent down closer to his face.

He leaned back in his chair. "You can't prove anything; therefore you can't charge me."

Olivia stood back up in mock surprise. "Are you really dumb enough to think that? We're talking federal crimes here. Facilitating the rape of a child, each kid you trafficked, that's ten years at least. And. . . Believe me! You will serve them consecutively." Her voice got lower, threatening.

He clenched his jaw as he watched Olivia. "Fine, so put me away for life."

Unable to control herself any longer, she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and threw him up against the crate on the window. She held his face in the grate, "Tell me who you're leader is."

His face was pushing painfully into the grate. His hands were caught behind his back rendering him unable to move. His breathing became labored as he replied his answer. "I can't give you that."

She grabbed his hair and pulled his head back so that she could talk directly into his ear. "Can't, or won't? When I'm finished with you, you'll be begging for mercy." She threw him onto the ground and kicked him in his side.

He fell and let out pain filled moans as he felt the steel toes of her boot kicking him in the side.

"This is how your buddies treat those kids you traffic. How does it feel?" Olivia taunted.

"Help!" Charlie shouted, "I need a doctor."

Olivia stopped kicking him and squatted down closer to him. She wrapped his arms around his back to keep him in a hold. "You're gonna need a morgue."

"Ok, ok." He panted, "Cut me a deal and I'll give you the leader on a silver platter."

She helped him back up and into the chair. She shoved a yellow notepad in his direction. "Write." She demanded.

*-*/*-*/*-*/

Sirens were blaring as Olivia and Elliot, as well as other officers, sped to the suspected home of the leader of the organization.

Elliot was driving, "I saw his face Liv; I saw what you did to him to get this information."

Olivia continued to stare out the front window, "I did what I had to do to keep those kids safe."

"And how far would it have gone? Hmm?" Elliot asked as they rounded a corner.

They were about to pull up to the house. Olivia didn't answer.

"Murder doesn't bring peace Liv, to the living nor the dead."

Olivia looked over at Elliot. "Let's go, we're here."

*-*/*-*/*-*/

Arraignment hearing

"Docket ending two, five, eight, three. People verses Logan Thatcher. Forty eight accounts of facilitating the rape of a child, forty eight counts of child trafficking, and forty eight counts of kidnapping."

"How does the defendant plead?" The judge asked as she looked down at the papers in front of her.

"Not guilty," The defense lawyer spoke, "And, we move for dismissal."

The judges eyebrows went up, but her voice remained steadfast, "On what grounds?"

"The apprehension of my client came only after the forced, and some might say tortured, confession of a member of this despicable ring, by one of the detectives out seeking revenge your honor."

"Is this true Ms Carmichael?"

Abbie clenched her jaw, as she did, the muscled in her neck tensed. "After interrogating a member of the ring, our detectives were legally led to Mr. Thatcher here. There is no reason to suspect coercion of any sort your honor."

The defense attorney turned and faced Abbie, "That's not what I hear." He said, "I heard, the girlfriend of the lead detective on this case, was kidnapped and she and her unborn child were held at knife point by one of this ring's members. That detective, who is sitting right over there," The defense lawyer pointed at Liv who was sitting front row behind Abbie. "She's out looking for revenge . . . For a scapegoat" He shouted at Olivia.

"Detective Benson's 'girlfriend', as you say, was not harmed, and neither was her unborn child. Therefore, she had no motive for revenge."

"Your honor," The defense lawyer began but was stopped short.

"Enough," Said the judge. "I want to speak to you two and Detective Benson in my office right away."

"Yes your honor." Abbie said.

Olivia clenched her jaw and reluctantly stood to follow Abbie into the judge's chambers.

**A/N: Dun Dun! Closing the case would have been too easy; we needed a good courtroom drama. I suspect that there will be at least one or two more outburst and contempt charges within the next chapter or so before Alex can have that baby! As always, thanks for the reviews, I'm almost at 100! Yay! Oh, and you better believe Katie and baby daddy aren't outta the picture yet. Mwahahaha.**


	11. Chapter 11 Indisputable

Chapter 11: Indisputable

The judge sat behind her desk and waited for the others to sit as well.

Mr. Dolman, the defense lawyer, was in his late forties and starting to go bald. He was also a bit rotund. He sat down next.

Abbie and Olivia sat down after them, across from the judge.

The judge interlaced her fingers and sat them upon her desk. She looked to Olivia first. "Tell me what happened in the interrogation room Ms. Benson."

Olivia sat back in the chair and began explaining, in truth, what happened. "Our precinct was overflowing with pedophiles and victims. We put Charlie in an interrogation room while we started booking the others. He waited in there a long time. By the time I went in there. . ." Olivia paused and sighed before beginning again, "He was upset that he had been left. I told him the extent of his charges that were to soon be filed and that if he didn't give up Mr. Thatcher, more charges would be added."

The defense lawyer huffed in disbelief, "So you want us to believe you just asked him nicely?"

"Your honor," Abbie spoke up, her southern drawl evident in her speech, "I have nothing but the utmost respect for Detective Benson and her powers of persuasion. Mr. Thatcher would have been caught whether Charlie was interrogated or not."

"You can't know that." The defense lawyer argued.

Abbie turned to face him, "Oh but I can. The discovery of your client was inevitable. If not Charlie, one of the other scums would have given him up. Believe me." Her voice never wavered.

"Relax Ms. Carmichael." The judge interceded. "I'm not throwing out this case." The judge looked over at Benson. "I will, however be calling IAB and you will need to give an account for your actions."

Olivia nodded in understanding.

They started to get up to leave when the judge spoke up again, "Oh, and Mr. Dolman, there is no need to mention the detective's private lives in my courtroom. If you have an issue, come to me first."

He nodded and walked out of the room.

Abbie and Olivia headed off down the hallway. "So, you and Cabot hmm?" Abbie asked Liv.

Olivia smiled and threw up her hands. She looked over at Abbie, "Yeah, I guess if it wasn't evident before, everyone knows now."

Abbie looked down in contemplation as they walked the hallway. She looked back up at Liv and said, "Cragen told me about the explosion, and how Alex was held at gunpoint, and all the kids yall managed to save . . . I understand what you did to Charlie." Abbie paused in her steps.

Olivia stopped walking and turned to look at Abbie.

"But," She continued, "If the defense is allowed to use that against you, to deflate your testimony, I'm not sure the jury will be able to see past that."

"I know how to deal with IAB. Believe me; I've been interviewed a lot." Liv said.

Abbie clenched her jaw, staring right at Olivia she said, "I want you off the case Liv."

"What?" Olivia's stance tensed up. "I've been on this since day one. I collared these guys . . ."

"I know Olivia." Abbie's eyes grew soft, almost sympathetic. "If you want justice for these kids, for Alex . . . I need a bulletproof case. What's done is done, but you're finished with interviews."

Olivia looked down at her feet. "Promise me you'll win." She said before looking back up at Abbie.

Abbie's eyebrows furrowed in determination, "I will."

Olivia nodded and then walked off.

*-*/*-*/*-*/

The next evening, Olivia unlocked the door to Alex's apartment. She threw her jacket and things on a side table.

Alex's apartment was larger than Olivia's but not by too much. It had a second bedroom which Alex had been waiting to turn into a nursery. When she walked in, there was a short hallway with a table and fresh flowers that sat in a vase. There was a bar and kitchen area to the right with a small dinette nook where Alex had a round, light oak table and chairs. On top of the table sat a small, blue glass vase with a single white rose. A giant painting of an amaryllis sat on the back wall of the dinette nook.

Her apartment was styled in a sophisticated chic look, much like her appearance. The floors were a dark cherry color. A white shag carpet sat on the floor in the living room. It was flanked by a dark brown ultra suede couch with turquoise pillows, and a dark blue wingback chair. A walnut coffee table sat in front of the couch. Alex had architectural artwork on the walls as well as few floral paintings that added a pop of color to the natural colored walls. Long curtains hung from the extra tall windows that looked out over the busy streets of New York City. Bookcases filed with law books and photos sat between the windows along one wall.

Olivia walked to the back bedroom which was Alex's.

Alex laid in her oversized king bed dressed in grey drawstring pj bottoms and an oversized college shirt. Her linens were a dark brown Egyptian cotton. Her comforter was taupe and plush. A dark brown tufted headboard sat behind Alex's head. She was knitting.

Olivia jumped in bed as Alex sat down her knitting. "What is this?" She laughed as she picked up Alex's attempt at making a baby bootie.

Alex grabbed it back playfully. "I had to find something to do while restricted to this here bed."

"Oh, let me see it." Olivia took it back and started to inspect the bootie. It actually wasn't too bad, well, except for a gaping hole in the bottom of the heel. Olivia stuck her finger through it and showed it to Alex.

Alex sighed, "Well, I don't think I was meant to knit." She laughed as she placed her yarn and knitting needles in a drawer in her side table. "So how was your day out in the real world?"

Olivia leaned back into the pillows and looked over at Alex. "Just had to deal with IAB again."

"Mmm," Alex hummed, "Well the accusation was all hearsay; so they should have known they wouldn't be able to do anything about it. He could have sustained those injuries in lockup." Of course, they both knew what really happened in the interrogation room.

"They were just hoping to catch me in a lie." Olivia sighed, "Those bureaucrats have been after me and El for years."

"I work for a bureau." Alex huffed.

Olivia laughed at her girlfriend, "You, my dear, work for no one right now."

Alex rolled her eyes, "Don't remind me. I can't wait to get out of this bed."

"Just think, it's only eight more weeks and then they can induce you." Liv said.

"That's two whole months!"

Olivia got up from the bed and walked around to the other side. She leaned in and kissed the top of Alex's forehead. "Come on, I'll make dinner." Before giving Alex the opportunity to reply, or object, Liv slid her arms underneath and behind her, and hefted her up out of the bed. She walked her into the kitchen and sat her down on one of the dinette chairs.

Alex smiled despite herself, "I'm on bed rest, not paralyzed."

Olivia leaned in close and looked Alex in the eyes, their faces only inches apart. Her tone went an octave lower, "How about you shut your mouth and just enjoy the lovely dinner I'm about to make?" Olivia's eyebrows went up challengingly.

Alex closed her lips tight in good-humored agreement. They both knew that Olivia sucked at cooking. However, it was nice to watch her detective walk off into the kitchen and at least pretend she knew what she was doing . . .

*-*/*-*/*-*/

Three weeks later, court was back in session and Olivia had been called to the stand.

Mr. Dolman paced in front of the witness stand for a moment before pausing in his steps right before Olivia. "Detective Benson, how did you learn about my client?"

"Objection." Abbie said.

"Sustained. Get on with it Mr. Dolman." The judge answered.

*-*/*-*/*-*/

Alex walked up the steep steps of the courthouse. She had managed to find and order a nice maternity suit online and was determined to make it to court today despite the dr.'s orders of strict bed rest. She knew she would be called tomorrow to take the witness stand but she needed firsthand knowledge of the defendant so that she knew how to win the case from her position. She knew if she could get into his head, then he stood no chance.

"Alex," Said a man as he walked up quickly behind her. "It's a surprise to see you here today."

Alex paused and greeted him with apprehension. "What are you doing here Pierce? You're not going to be called to the stand until tomorrow."

"Neither are you . . . but here we both are."

"Don't let him fool you." Katie said as she walked down the few steps of the courthouse. "He came to see what woman swept his girlfriend off her feet."

Alex looked between the two. "First of all, I'm not his girlfriend." She said to Katie and then looked back at Pierce, "And second, it shouldn't matter who I'm with." Alex turned and kept walking up the steps until she reached the inside of the courthouse.

"Ah, Alexandra," Pierce walked beside her. Katie followed. "I have always admired your determination. That is why I asked you to come to London in the first place."

Alex kept walking, "Didn't Katie tell you about my ulterior motives?"

"Yes, she did." Pierce eyed Katie walking behind them. "She has such charm doesn't she." The sarcasm showed in his voice. "She paid for that down in that basement didn't she?"

Alex stopped and sighed. She looked back at Pierce. "She almost got us both killed down there. Now tell me what you want, or back out of my way."

Pierce clenched his jaw and looked down at his dark brown penny loafers. He was only a few years older than Alex, but had the same fair skin. His hair was a dark brown and cropped short. He had brown eyes, and wore a grey pant suit. "I'm simply here to make sure all goes well in the case and to know what I'm up against tomorrow. The fact that I get to see you today is just icing on the cake."

Alex rolled her eyes and then smiled at him. "Come on, we're here."

They all walked into the courtroom. Olivia was still on the stand. They sat in the back on the same side as Abbie.

Olivia saw them walk in.

"So, to conclude," Mr. Dolman said, "All the so called 'evidence' you found in my clients apartment is circumstantial at best. You have no other way of proving that my client is the one behind this ring, and to imply so is deeply disturbing."

"One or two 'coincidences' you may be able to get your client off, but thirty out of forty eight? There is no denying that he IS the leader of this ring." Olivia looked the defendant in the eyes.

"Coincidence, you say its coincidence and I say you have concealed interest in making sure my client stays behind bars. It wouldn't be the first time a detective planted evidence to ensure that one of their own got justice."

"Objection!" Abbie interjected.

"Sustained." The judge answered.

Mr. Dolman ignored the judge's orders and kept questioning Olivia. "You were there the morning that the original ADA of the case and her unborn child were held at gunpoint, and one of the other detectives was shot. You were the one that rescued ten children personally. Now, TELL ME YOU DON"T HAVE A VENDETTA FOR MY CLIENT!"

"ORDER!" The judge pounded her gavel on the desk.

Alex stood up and walked toward the defense. Her blood pressure rising. "Detective Benson would never intentionally sabotage a case on my behalf." Alex looked to Olivia and then to the jury. "That man," She pointed to the defendant, "IS the one who facilitated the RAPE of those CHILDREN."

"Ms. Cabot, there is to be order in my court one more sound and you will be held in contempt."

"I saw them, I saw the PAIN in their eyes." Alex's voice lowered persuasively, "Don't make them suffer anymore than they already have. Put that pervert away."

"Officers!" The judge called, but then stopped as she saw Alex start to hunch over.

Olivia got up from the witness stand and rushed over to Alex's side.

"I think I'm having contractions again." Alex whispered to Olivia.

Olivia held onto Alex and yelled, "Somebody call a bus." She looked around as the courtroom buzzed and the judge was calling out order. Katie and Pierce had also gotten up from their seats to try and help.

The judge had managed to quiet most of the court. "We will have a five minute recess. Detective Benson, I want you back in this courtroom too. We finish your testimony today."

Olivia heard her but she was already walking Alex out of the courtroom. When she got to the top of the steps outside, an ambulance was already waiting. The EMT's were already on their way up the steps with a gurney. "I'm going with you." Olivia said to Alex.

Alex managed to look back up at Olivia. "I'll be ok, I want you to finish this."

"I'm not leaving you like this." Olivia searched Alex's eyes.

The EMT's were starting to get Alex seated and strapped into the gurney. "You have to Liv. Promise me you'll stay." They wrapped the neck stabilizer around her neck.

Olivia bent and smoothed her hair out of her face. "As long as you promise me that you won't have that baby just yet." Olivia smiled as she looked down at Alex, trying to conceal her worry.

Another contraction seized Alex. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I promise." She paused before she said, "Besides, I still have five lovely weeks on bed rest, and the nursery hasn't even been started."

"We need to get her going now." One of the EMT's said to Olivia.

Liv nodded as they began to take her down the steps and she lost the grip she had on Alex's hand and let it fall away.

Katie and Pierce followed the EMT's and jumped in the back of the ambulance with Alex.

Olivia was left standing on the steps on the courthouse.

"Come on." Abbie placed a gentle hand over Olivia's shoulder. "Let's get this over with so you can go be with her."


	12. Chapter 12 Intertwined

Chapter 12: Intertwined

**A/N: Ok, so don't worry, Alex and Riley are fine as you will soon read, and I'll keep them out of harm's way from here on out. . . I think. ^-^ But, with her not having water, she was liable to go back into labor and have complications. Now I'm sure in "real life" they would have recessed court till the next day, but this is a tv drama, so we don't always have to play by the rules! As a refresher, as of right now Alex is 30 weeks, they plan to induce her at 35 to be on the safe side. So, be expecting a little boy to be delivered in the next chapter or so! **

Olivia walked out of the courthouse in a hurry. She jumped in her squad car and dug out her cell phone. "Hey, I got a text from Elliot saying that they had sent you home. Is everything ok?"

From the other line, Alex answered, "The doctors said it was just false labor and not to be alarmed, although I'm still having intermittent contractions that still hurt."

"Ok, well I'll be there in a few minutes is anyone with you?" Olivia asked.

"Katie and Pierce are here, but they'll be leaving soon."

They said their goodbyes and Olivia headed on her way to Alex's apartment.

*-*/*-*/*-*/

Alex leaned back in her couch as she hung up her cell phone and placed it on a side table. Katie brought in some water and sat down next to her on the couch.

Pierce was sitting in the chair near Alex. One of his legs was crossed over the other as he flipped through the day's paper.

"Drink up." Katie said as she handed the cup to Alex. "Doctor said to keep hydrated."

"Thank you Katie." Alex took a sip from her cup and then sat it down. "You didn't need to follow me in you know."

Katie nodded, "I know it wasn't necessary. I just . . ." She looked around the room as if the right words lie somewhere buried. "I wanted to apologize." She scooted in closer and placed her hand on Alex's knee. Her face twisted into sorrow, "If it wasn't for me, you might not be in this situation right now."

Alex laughed slightly to herself, "Actually, if it wasn't for him," She nodded at pierce with her head. He looked up from the paper. "If it wasn't for him I wouldn't be in this mess at all."

"Oh please," Katie brushed off the comment. "He's nothing but a glorified sperm donor, and you know that's not what I'm talking about."

Pierce put his paper down in his lap. "Need I remind you I'm your boss? Not to mention, I'm sitting right here."

Katie raised an eyebrow in his direction, "Well? What would you call yourself then?"

"Just accept her apology Alex, so we can all get on with life." Pierce picked up the paper again.

"Fine," Alex said looking back at Katie. "I do accept your apology, but you should have told me about your niece."

"I know. Well, it's in the past, now we can move on." Katie looked Alex in the eye, "I want to be here for you and Riley."

Alex scowled and looked down in her lap before she looked back up and said, "I don't want you in my life, or Riley's anymore."

Katie sat there stunned into silence for a while. "We can still be friends Alex."

"No, we can't. Whatever we had, will always be there in the background. I need to be able to move on, and so do you."

Katie stood up from the couch. She looked back down at Alex, "Well, after court tomorrow, we're heading back to England. If you change your mind, you know where to find me." Katie turned and walked out of the apartment.

Pierce stayed behind for a moment. He placed the paper down on the coffee table and leaned forward to speak with Alex. "I know I haven't been here for you at all; but I've thought about it a lot, and I want to be able to see Riley from time to time."

"I would never deny you the right to see your child, but I need the freedom to raise him how I want."

Pierce nodded.

"And," Alex continued, "If you tell him you're coming to see him, then you need to keep your promise."

"Very well then," Pierce stood and started to walk toward the door. "I'll keep in touch."

Olivia opened the door at about the same time Pierce was reaching it to leave.

He stepped to the side as Olivia passed him. He shut the door, and went on his way.

Liv sat down next to Alex on the couch. "What was that about?"

Alex sighed, "Just tying up some loose ends I guess." Alex leaned into Olivia and curled up in her side.

Liv wrapped her arm around Alex and leaned her head down on the top of her head. "I'm glad you and Riley are ok." Olivia felt Alex tense up for a bit before relaxing. "What's wrong?"

"It still feels like really bad cramps." Alex said.

Olivia helped Alex to stand. "Come on," Liv said. "After a day like today, let's get you into a warm bath to relax and help relieve those cramps."

Alex didn't resist. She let Olivia lead her to the bathroom and sat her down on the lid of the toilet.

Olivia leaned in to the tub and began running the hot water.

"This is all so déjà-vu." Alex said smirking as she watched Olivia get the water ready.

Liv stood back up and sauntered the short distant to where Alex sat. She bent down and began to take off Alex's socks. "Except, now you're there, and I'm here."

Alex smiled as she watched Olivia undress. Her skin was perfectly even and smooth. A few scars, slightly opaque, shown across her abdomen and shoulders. There was even a faint scar on her neck from where she tried to save a little boy from the hands of a monster, but got too close. The worst scar was on her lower back. Alex couldn't see it at the moment, but noticed it last time.

Then Olivia moved to undress Alex. Her own scar, a GSW to the chest was very obvious. Alex closed her eyes. She generally tried to hide her scar from her other lovers, using concealer, or by dimming the lights; but with Olivia, she felt truly free, unashamed.

Liv helped Alex stand and walk over to the tub. Liv climbed in first and then gave Alex a steady hand to help her climb in next. They both lay back, Alex's head leaning against Olivia's shoulder. Olivia turned the water off with her toes. The tones of their skin meshed perfectly, an olive, and ivory blend.

Riley began to kick as he felt to warmth surround him. They both chuckled at the movement that caused ripples in the water.

One of Olivia's legs wrapped over one of Alex's as they lay in tub, letting the water reside between them. They were completely consumed in the feeling of their bodies being intertwined.

"I could lay here like this with you forever." Alex hummed effortlessly.

"Me too." Olivia whispered before placing a gently loving kiss on Alex's shoulder and letting her hands fall into place around Alex's body.

*-*/*-*/*-*/

Because of the complications, Alex was allowed to testify a week later instead of the next day. That day however, had come up quicker than expected. It would be on the same day that two of the most crucial testimonies to the case would also be given.

Alex and Olivia walked into the corridor where the two kids were both waiting to testify. Esmeralda and Jonathan both sat stoically on the bench as they waited for their turn to retell their stories.

Esmeralda was called first. Olivia gave Alex a quick kiss on the lips, before taking Esmeralda's hands and leading her into the crowded courtroom.

Alex sat down next to Jonathan. "How are you doing?" She asked him.

Jonathan glanced up at Alex, recognizing her, but then peered back down at his shoes not answering. The state had been unsuccessful in relocating his parents. In fact, they were unsure of whether or not they were still alive. Jonathan had been born in Arkansas, but had moved to New York when he was five. He and his sister were both taken around his eighth birthday, and that was the last he had seen of them.

He had been placed in a foster home that specialized in rehabilitating young boys. His foster parents were nice thankfully; they were even in the courtroom waiting as he sat outside.

"It's ok to be scared." Alex said, a sympathetic look plastered on her face.

Jonathan kicked his feet under the bench. "I didn't mean for that man to catch you like he did."

Alex placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "It's ok. I don't blame you."

Jonathan looked up at her then, "What if they don't believe me?"

Alex sat for a moment pondering her words, but looking Jonathan in the eyes, she said, "Your testimony, is one of the most powerful ones in the courtroom. If you speak up, they will believe you." He seemed slightly reassured by her words.

Alex looked down at her wrist and started to untie a bracelet. "Give me your arm." She began to wrap the yarn bracelet around his wrist. "Some kids I used to work with in an orphanage, made this for me." She tied it off. "Each strand of yarn represents each of the kids that made it. The strands of yarn by themselves would not make a very sturdy bracelet. However, when you intertwine each strand with another, it holds up strong."

Jonathan inspected the yarn bracelet. By itself, it wasn't anything special, but it made him feel a bit more secure.

"When you go up on the stand to testify, you speak for not only yourself, but all the other kids that were locked up just like you and JoAna. Just like that bracelet, you are all intrinsically linked by this tragedy, but they need you to speak up."

Alex could see Jonathan's body language shifting. He no longer slouched, his confidence level had risen.

"But I'm still a little scared." One of his eyebrows went up, portraying his fear.

"That's ok," Alex sighed as she sat back and placed a hand over her stomach. "I am too."

Jonathan looked back over at her. "What are you having?" He asked.

Alex smirked at looked at him, "A little boy."

The courtroom doors opened and a clerk called out for Jonathan. He stood up and looked back over at Alex. "Thank you." He said before he turned and was lead into the courtroom.


	13. Chapter 13 Inevitable

Chapter 13: Inevitable

Alex sat and rocked in her new, upholstered glider that sat in the nursery. She had three days until they planned on inducing her. She looked around the room that was now filled with nursery gear and decorations.

Olivia brought in a box. "It looks like we got our last order in." She handed the box to Alex.

The room was painted the same natural color as the rest of the apartment. There was a white rug that sat in the middle of the room on top of the hardwood floors. Olivia had picked up an espresso colored crib and a dresser that they also planned on using as a changing table. Alex had ordered a brown and white bedding set off-line. Deep brown curtains covered the windows; and Riley had his name in wooden letters hanging over his crib. There were also a few pops of light yellow, and light blue throughout the room in pillows and artwork, mostly of owls and nature.

Alex opened the box and pulled out a lamp that coordinated with the room. She sat the box down on the floor as she labored to get up from her sitting position. She went and placed it on top of the dresser/changing table. She looked down at the plug, but then turned around to look at Olivia.

Liv read the distress on her face. She walked over and pulled the dresser out a bit. Then she bent over it and plugged in the lamp.

"Hopefully I'll be able to do these types of things by myself soon." Alex said as she turned on the lamp that Olivia had just plugged in.

Liv walked over to the baby's closet. "Why would you want to do that when you have me here?" She grabbed a duffel bag and opened it up.

Alex went back to her position on the rocker. She chuckled at Olivia's statement. "In a few days, our lives will both change forever." Alex sighed, "Hopefully, for the better."

Liv took a onesie out of the closet and then walked over to Alex. She sat down on the foot stool in front of the rocker. "Riley may not have been in your plans, in our plans; but trust me, everything is going to be ok." Olivia looked into Alex's eyes. "You made the right decision; and I'll always be there for you, be here with you, every step of the way."

Alex looked away for a moment, her eyes glossing over, not quite ready to tear, but excess hormones causing her to come close. "How can you know that?" She looked back at Liv. "We've only been together a few months and I'm pregnant, and having a baby, and . . ."

"Alex," Liv cut her thoughts short, "I love you." She let her words sink in before she continued, "I always have, and I always will. There's no doubt about that in my mind at all."

Alex smiled and wiped away the tears that had started to form. She took a deep breath and then let it out. She nodded her head, "I love you so much too. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Olivia pushed back a strand of Alex's hair. "You'd be sitting here with a lamp that wasn't plugged in, and an empty duffle bag."

Alex smiled and leaned forward to kiss Liv. "Is that the onesie that he's coming home in?" Alex looked down at the onesie that Olivia was still clutching.

"Yes," Liv said as she got up and went to put it in the bag. She started packing some diapers and other necessities. "Which blanket would you like to use at the hospital?" Olivia picked up two soft, minky blankets and showed them to Alex.

Alex pointed to the one in Olivia's left hand. "The one with the owl and his name embroidered of course."

Olivia smiled as she folded it and packed it in the duffle. Of course she would pick out that blanket; it was her favorite after all.

Liv walked over to the dresser and pulled out a pair of socks, when her cell phone rang. It was Elliot. They had another urgent case. Liv tossed the socks in the duffle and went in to Alex's room to change. She hadn't officially moved in yet, but she might as well have. There were only a few nights that she hadn't made it back to Alex's apartment to sleep, or she had gotten off so late that she didn't want to make the drive so she crashed at her place. Enough of her laundry had managed to make it to Alex's so she always had plenty to wear.

Alex followed Olivia into the room and sat down on the bed. She watched Olivia change.

"I only need to pack you a few clothes and a nightgown for the hospital as well as your toiletries. I can do that when I get home tonight; well, if I get to come home that is." Olivia pulled on her socks and buckled her belt.

"I can finish the packing, don't worry about it. You just go work your next case."

Olivia sat on the bed next to Alex and finished pulling on her shoes. "The verdict for the Thatcher case is tomorrow afternoon. You plan on going?"

Alex was reminded once again of that case. How could she not go after all she, Olivia, and all those kids had gone through? "I'll meet you there." Alex said.

Olivia gave Alex one more kiss and then headed out the door.

*-*/*-*/*-*/

"How do you find the defendant?"

The busy courtroom got suddenly quiet as they all waited to hear the verdict. Alex and Olivia sat right behind Abbie and Elliot sat next to them.

"We find the defendant . . . guilty, on all charges."

A huge sigh of both relief and anger could be felt throughout the courtroom. Unsurprisingly, Thatcher had a following.

Alex and Olivia headed down the courtroom steps when they saw a familiar face coming toward them anxiously. It was Jonathan's foster mother.

"Have either of you seen Jonathan?" Mrs. Collins asked nervously.

"No," Alex said, "He wasn't in the courtroom. We just figured it was too much for him."

Mrs. Collins began looking around the courthouse steps. "He wouldn't do this."

"Ok, calm down." Olivia reached out a reassuring touch which calmed Mrs. Collins for a moment. "When was the last time you saw Jonathan?"

Mrs. Collins placed a hand on her hip and one on her forehead. She looked down in contemplation. "I watched him walk out the door on his way to school this morning; but I got a call at around nine saying he never showed up. I thought he might have been here, so I looked. He didn't answer the cell we just got him either."

"You know, maybe he's just run off to be alone. I'm sure he'll come back." Olivia said.

Mrs. Collins looked down at her hands. "I know you may think he's just another foster kid that has possibly run away." She looked back up to Olivia and Alex, "But, he's different. He's got an inner strength that not many of the boys that come to live with us have. He's only ten, where could he have gone?"

"Detective Benson?" A small guy in a brown hoodie, drawstrings pulled, walked up inconspicuously and dropped a recorder in Olivia's hand. Just as fast as he came, he was gone.

Olivia looked down, afraid of what had just been placed in her hands.

"Who was that?" Mrs. Collins asked.

Alex took Mrs. Collins and led her down the stairs. "We're going to look for Jonathan. If we find him, I promise, you will be the first to know."

After Mrs. Collins had left, Alex walked over to Olivia who was rushing down the stairs. "What is it Liv?"

"They have him. They have Jonathan." Olivia paused and ran her hands through her hair.

"WHAT?" Alex was almost screaming. "What do they want with him?"

"A trade. They want to trade him for Thatcher."

"What? Are they amateurs? There's no way that'd ever happen."

"I know." Olivia reached into her pocket for her cell. "I don't think that's what they really want. They gave me an address I'm going out there. I need you to go home." Olivia started to walk to her squad car.

"You can't go alone." Alex said following her.

Liv opened the door to her squad car. "Elliot will be right behind me." Olivia gave Alex a knowing glance before she ducked into her car and sped off.

*-*/*-*/*-*/

Olivia arrived three hours later at a small shack in the middle of the woods in a small town just off the city. Elliot was about thirty minutes behind her. She knew she should wait, but Jonathan had waited long enough.

*-*/*-*/*-*/

Inside the small shack, one large man stared out the window with a shotgun in his grasp. The other sat on the couch watching Jonathan.

Jonathan sat still on an unstable chair. Sweat dripped from his forehead, a black eye had already begun to form. He heard the car door.

"Is it her?" The other man on the couch asked.

"Yeah, but it looks like she came alone." The gruff voice came from the man at the window.

"Well, she'll have to do until we can get to the blonde." The man on the couch turned his attention back to Jonathan. He kicked his leg, "What was her name kid?"

"I don't remember her name." He said unreassuringly.

"Sure you do." Said the man on the couch. "After we take care of Olivia, it's payback for Alex."

Suddenly full of spite, Jonathan yelled out, "What'd she ever do to you!"

*-*/*-*/*-*/

Olivia heard a noise coming from the cabin. She ducked down behind the squad car when she saw a curtain in the window swing. She picked up her radio, "EL, what's your ETA?"

"I can be there in twenty."

*-*/*-*/*-*/

The man that had been at the window, turned quickly and smacked Jonathan across the face, "They got our brother killed."

Jonathan cried out again.

"Shut up!" The man yelled. "Make another peep, and I'll blow your head off too."

*-*/*-*/*-*/

Olivia heard Jonathan's cry. "Elliot, I can hear him now. He's not going to make it."

"Olivia wait. You don't know that."

"I'm going in." She threw the radio back into the car and peered back at the house.

*-*/*-*/*-*/

Alex paced the living room in her apartment. It had been over three hours and she hadn't yet heard from Olivia. Her nerves were beginning to get the best of her.

Cragen was dealing with Mrs. Collins back at the precinct. Elliot was on his way out to the address and had called out local back up. Yet, there Alex stood, pacing her apartment. She felt useless at the moment.

That's when it happened. Another contraction hit. This was all too fast. She wasn't meant to have this baby for another day. The doctor had told her it was possible to once again go into labor if she felt stressed.

Hoping it was false labor again, she tried to ignore it. She climbed into the bathtub in hopes that a warm bath could calm her nerves, and her labor.

*-*/*-*/*-*/

Olivia squatted behind the car and walked around to the hood. Everything looked still again. She quickly stood up and ran behind a tree. She stopped to take a breath. Her back was against the tree and her gun was drawn in front of her.

She peered around once more and ran behind a tree that was closer to the house.

A shot went off from the house. The bullet hit the tree hard, shaking it. Olivia could feel the vibration. Her heart rate rose. She closed her eyes and counted to three before she rolled out from behind the tree and dove behind the next one.

Another shot blasted through the air ricocheting off one tree and then breaking the glass in the squad car.

"It's no use fighting us." The man at the window shouted out.

"Where's Jonathan?" Olivia shouted back.

"He's here inside. Don't worry. As long as we get what we came for . . . he'll be alright."

Olivia peeked out from behind the tree and the shot gun went off again. Liv ducked back and resumed her position on the tree."What is it you want?" Liv shouted back.

The door of the shack swung open. "You got my brother killed by that sniper. I want revenge!" Another shot went off in Olivia's direction.

*-*/*-*/*-*/

The warm water in the tub wasn't working. Alex looked down at her watch. Ten minutes; it had been ten minutes since the last contraction.

Alex got out of the tub and put her clothes back on. She sat down on the bed when she felt another contraction. "This isn't happening like this. I won't let it." Eight minutes apart.

Alex closed her eyes and counted until the contraction was over. Then she got up and grabbed her duffle bag and headed for the door.

*-*/*-*/*-*/

Olivia took a deep breath and turned to fire off a shot in the perps direction. She missed and he was headed toward her. She could hear the crunching of the leaves under his boot as he got closer.

"I didn't kill him. He came out of that house swinging a gun. It was suicide by cop and he knew that."

Another shot blasted into the tree shooting off a limb above her.

"You can tell yourself that all you want, but you and Alex both led him out to his death. So, after I finish you, I'm gonna kill her too."

*-*/*-*/*-*/

Alex climbed out of the taxi and paid the driver. She slowly walked herself into the hospital. A nurse saw her and ran a wheelchair over.

Alex sat down in it as another contraction hit.

They headed for the elevator, to labor and delivery.

*-*/*-*/*-*/

A car came to a screeching halt in the driveway.

The man with the shot gun turned and aimed for the car.

Olivia jumped out from the tree and shot at him, this time hitting him in the shoulder.

He felt the bullet enter and shatter his shoulder blade. One hand fell off the gun and he shot it in the direction of the police car. He tried to pick it up again to shoot, but Elliot had gotten out of the car and shot at the perp. That shot landed in his other arm. The perp dropped the gun and stumbled back to the other side of the house.

Olivia took another step toward him. "Put your hands up where I can see them!"

He had an evil grin across his face. The same grin she remembered seeing on the perp down in the basement. It was all she could do to not pull the trigger on the bastard right there. Then, she heard another shot; and this time, she felt it too. She was hit in the arm.

The other man from inside the house came to the door carrying a nine millimeter.

Olivia hit the ground from the surprise hit. She covered her right arm with her left hand and steadied the gun in her right hand. She held it out in front of her.

Another shot went off. This time, Elliot was aiming for the man in the doorway.

The man hunched down and jumped down the steps. He and his brother were both now leaning against the wall of the shack. The one brother handed the other an extra nine.

Elliot grabbed Olivia by her collar and pulled her back to the other side of the house against the wall for some protection. He bent down toward her. "Are you ok?" he asked looking at her wound.

Olivia nodded. "Yes, I think he just grazed me."

Elliot checked it again and then stood back up. He went to the corner of the house and peered around it. He pulled his gun and shot at the man coming toward him. The perp went down with a thud. Elliot pushed his back up against the wall.

*-*/*-*/*-*/

The nurses had Alex in a bed. They were hooking up IV's. A doctor came in to check on her labor.

"You're five centimeters already. It looks like you'll be having this baby soon." The doctor said.

Sweat droplets had begun to form on Alex's forehead. "No. I can't have the baby now. I have to wait. It's not time yet."

The doctor looked at the nurse.

"She's refusing medication. She won't even take the epidural."

"Alex, look at me." The doctor said.

Alex's eyes were closed as another contraction seized her body. Tears welled up in her eyes.

*-*/*-*/*-*/

Elliot looked at Olivia who was still down on the ground. He held his gun out and was about to turn to make another shot when the first perp, the one that had been shooting at Olivia first was standing right in front of him. Elliot froze.

The man was a little cocky, just like his brother had been. He stood there grim and smug. He looked like he had just won. "This wasn't our fight." He said to Elliot, "But, you came to join, and so you too must pay for the death of my brother." He started to raise his gun with a shaky arm.

"El, DUCK!" Olivia shouted.

Elliot hit the ground.

A loud boom escaped from the gun that Olivia picked up off the ground. The shot gun blasted through the perp and he didn't even have time to stumble backward before he fell to the ground in a bloody mess.

Olivia's eyes were wide as she set the gun back on the ground. Elliot crawled over to where she was sitting. He helped her up and they stepped over the gory scene.

Olivia walked through the front door, gun still drawn, just in case. She canvassed the small room and saw no one.

"Liv, he's over here." Elliot pointed her to a corner of the shack.

She heard weeping coming from behind the small tv stand. "Jonathan, it's ok now." She squatted down near him and reached out leaving her hand out for him to grab.

He wiped his eyes and looked back at Olivia. He grabbed her hand and flung himself onto her shoulder as his tears again came nonstop. Olivia closed her eyes and she began rocking him back and forth as though he were her own.

"Is Alex ok?" Jonathan managed to get out between rapid breaths and tears.

"She's fine sweetheart."

After a few minutes, the police from the area arrived. Elliot scooped up Jonathan and took him over to a police car.

Olivia followed them out the door. Elliot had covered Jonathan's head with his jacket so that he wouldn't see the scene in front of him.

After he placed Jonathan in a car he walked back over to Olivia. They both watched as the car drove him off back to his foster parents.

Then Olivia walked back to her car whose glass had been shattered and dug for her cell phone. Seven missed calls.

*-*/*-*/*-*/

Alex lay back in the hospital bed, completely alone. The doctor had just left, she was now six centimeters. She felt her phone ringing. Finally, it was Olivia. She was on her way.

Alex hung up her phone and another contraction hit. "Olivia, I need you here now." She whimpered.

**A/N: So, I really tried to write a simple ending, to give Alex an easy labor, but what can I say? It's just easier for me to write suspensefully. So, before you get mad at me, know that anything I write will have a good ending. I even have something good planned for Jonathan too. It would be cool if they adopted him, but I probably won't go that route. I have something else planned. So . . . until next time! **


	14. Chapter 14 Incredible

Chapter 14: Incredible

Elliot and Olivia jumped in a squad car volunteered by the local police. Elliot flipped on the lights as he rushed the car toward the hospital three hours away.

Olivia shrugged off her jacket and rolled up the sleeve of her shirt to examine where the bullet had grazed her. It stung. It wasn't too deep, but deep enough to cause a good amount of blood loss. She grabbed the water bottle beside her and squeezed out some water over her wound. Then she tore off a strip of her undershirt and wrapped it around the wound.

"You going to be ok?" Elliot asked still driving at warp speed.

"I'll be fine as long as we get to the hospital on time." Olivia struggled to put her jacket back on to cover her wound. She didn't want to give Alex anything more to worry about.

*-*/*-*/*-*/

It was getting close to ten o'clock and Alex had already been in labor for over five hours. She lay in the hospital bed and stared up at the ceiling. A nurse had just left the room. Alex had been at ten centimeters for the past thirty minutes, but had been refusing to push. She was fading from the pain and exertion she had already been exposed to. She closed her eyes to try and drown out the coming contraction.

She heard the door to her room open and she slowly opened her eyes, only then recognizing the face she had been waiting for. "Olivia?"

Olivia sat on the side of her bed and leaned over to place a kiss on her forehead. "Yes, it's me." She smoothed out the hair that had begun to stick to Alex's forehead, pushing it back off her face.

A nurse walked in and walked right up to Olivia. "I sure hope you're Olivia." The nurse looked again at the charts that had been mapping out Alex's contractions.

Olivia nodded that she was who the nurse thought she was.

"Good." The nurse said, "Because we were about to have to rush her into an emergency c-section."

Olivia looked down at Alex sorry she hadn't been able to get there any faster. Perhaps she should have called in a helicopter.

"She's been ready to push for the last thirty minutes, but has been waiting for you to show." The nurse buzzed in the doctor. "Any longer, and the baby would be going into distress."

The doctor came in the room and put on some gear. "Ok, are we all ready?"

Olivia looked down at Alex who still wasn't quiet coherent. "Are you ready to push?"

Alex looked up at Olivia. The room was becoming blurry, but she could clearly make out Liv standing next to her. "I'm ready."

"Let's sit her up." The nurse motioned for Olivia to move to the other side of the bed and help Alex sit up. Then the nurse spoke to Alex, "When you feel a contraction, I'm going to start counting to ten. I want you to push the whole time."

Alex nodded in understanding. There wasn't much time for coherent words to be formed.

The nurse showed Liv how to hold Alex's leg so that she could help counteract her push.

Liv held one leg and Alex gripped Olivia's arm as she felt a contraction seize her.

The nurse began counting, painfully slow, "1, 2, 3, 4 . . ." The nurse held onto one leg while Olivia held the other. The doctor sat at the foot of the bed.

When the contraction stopped Alex lay back into the pillows breathing heavily. She looked over at Olivia whose eyes were looking a bit overwhelmed. "I feel everything." Alex almost roared at Olivia.

Olivia held on to Alex's hand. She looked into Alex's eyes, "You're doing great. You waited this long; you can handle this."

Alex calmed back down and then another contraction hit. She gripped Liv's hurt arm and Olivia felt the pain rush up her arm, but ignored it.

The nurse had started counting again, "4, 5, 6 . . ."

Alex lay back down.

"I think I saw the tip of the head that time." The doctor said looking up to check on Alex.

A team of NICU nurses had carried in a tiny bed just in case. Even though it had been planned, they knew that some complications might arise because he was still being born early.

Olivia looked again down at Alex and said encouragingly, "Just a few more pushes and he'll be out."

Alex sat back up and cried out when another contraction hit.

"1 . . .6, 7, 8" The nurse counted.

"I can see his head." The doctor announced. "One more contraction and he'll be out."

Alex held on tight to Olivia's hand.

Olivia's eyes welled up with tears, emotions from the day piling up on her as she watched Alex lying there in pain.

"1, 2, 3, he's coming, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10."

And at ten, Alex let out one more loud cry and pushed Riley out into the world. Alex never let go of the grip she had on Olivia's hand until the nurse placed the little boy in her arms.

He was crying, wet, and naked, wrapped only in a thin hospital blanket. He calmed down when he was placed in his mother's arms feeling her warmth and recognizing her smell. His eyes were closed and his little eyebrows furrowed from the endeavor.

Alex looked down at her son as tears fell from her eyes. "Hello Riley." She looked up at Olivia who had sat next to her on the bed.

"Welcome to this world." Olivia said as she reached down and brushed a finger against his soft skin.

He gripped her finger and held on tightly, not wanting to let go.

The doctor reached out to Olivia. "Would you like the honors?"

She took the instrument and cut the cord.

All too soon, the nurse took Riley to perform a few tests. He was six pounds and eight ounces and twenty inches long. Despite his early birth, he was born perfectly healthy.

Olivia sat next to Alex as they watched the nurses ogle over the new little boy. Then one handed him back to Alex, this time neatly wrapped, snuggly, in a blanket and all cleaned off.

Alex cradled him in her arms as tears fell from both hers and Olivia's cheeks.

Riley's eyes stayed glued tightly shut. His breathing began to calm as his whole body relaxed once again in his mother's arms.

Liv ran her fingers lightly over his full head of dark brown hair.

He cooed at the touch and both women laughed at the sound coming from him.

After a few minutes, the doctor and nurses gathered their things and left the couple alone in the room with their new son.

*-*/*-*/*-*/

Early the next morning, Olivia sat in the rocker, in the recovery room, rocking Riley back and forth. She looked down at the sleeping infant in her arms wondering how on earth she had gotten so lucky.

Alex had gone back to sleep after the last feeding, and was just now starting to shift in the bed. She woke up when she heard a knock on the door and some familiar faces entered the room.

Elliot and Cragen walked in first, followed by John and Fin.

Elliot walked over to Liv and peered down at Riley. He grinned as Olivia offered Riley to him and he gladly accepted. He held the little boy in his arms as he stood gently swaying him back and forth. He looked up at a still exhausted, but recovering Alex who had sat up in the bed. "Congratulations Alex." He said as he turned to look at her.

"Thank you." Alex said as she put her glasses on and pushed back some of her hair.

Elliot handed Riley to Cragen.

Don was slightly nervous and it showed. Riley fussed at the movement from the exchange. Cragen's eyebrows furrowed and he started bouncing with the baby who hadn't yet quieted.

Fin shook his head. "Captain, that's not how you sooth a baby." Fin took Riley from Cragen who was slightly relieved. Riley's fussiness stopped when Fin held him tightly in his arms and cradled him. Fin looked down at Riley and started humming as he rocked back and forth.

"Did Olivia make it in time?" Cragen asked Alex.

Alex let out a big sigh, "Just barely." She glanced over at Olivia who had just joined her on the bed. "Any longer and the baby and I would have been in trouble." She teased.

"Well, Elliot drove 90 to nothin' to get here, and I'm glad he did." Olivia said.

Cragen closed his eyes, "I didn't hear that."

After John had a turn holding the baby, he handed Riley back to Alex and the four of them headed out the door leaving Olivia and Alex alone once again with Riley.

*-*/*-*/*-*/

Six weeks later, Olivia had officially moved in. She had donated most of her furniture, but kept a few pieces and some artwork. All of her clothing was now packed in with Alex's extensive wardrobe, and the two were adjusting to life with a new baby.

When Olivia got home from work that evening, she walked into their apartment and heard running water in the bathroom. She went and checked on Riley who was fast asleep in his crib and then walked into her bedroom.

Olivia smiled when she saw one of her black dresses draped over the bed with a risqué thong right beside it. A note lay folded on top of the dress and it read:

Mesa Grill

Tonight 8 O'clock Sharp.

~Love, Alexandra

The water to the shower stopped and Alex stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. Her wet hair hung over her shoulders in a slightly tangled mess. She grinned when she saw Olivia reading her note.

Liv put the note down when Alex came out of the shower. Seeing her girlfriend standing there, still slightly wet, wearing nothing but a towel and a seductive look, Olivia had to hold herself back from ripping the towel right off her. They had waited long enough.

Alex, having read the look across Olivia's face, waved her finger at the detective. "Now, I see what you're thinking and I'll have you know, I'm not that kind of girl."

Both of Olivia's eyebrows went up in disbelief, questioning Alex's reasoning.

Alex walked over to her dresser and made a show of pulling out her own thong that she planned on wearing that night. She slipped it on under her towel and then walked over to Olivia. She leaned in like she planned on kissing her in the crook of her neck, but stopped only inches away, and whispered, "But there's no telling what might happen after our first date."

Goosebumps ran down Olivia's arms at the mention of what could happen and from the feeling of Alex's breath on her neck.

Seeing that her words had achieved the desired effect, Alex whisked herself back off toward the bathroom and started to blow dry her hair.

Olivia watched Alex walk off and stood there for a few more moments regaining her composure before she turned back to the outfit left on her bed. Alex sure did know how to pick out an outfit.

By the time Olivia had gotten dressed, Alex walked back out of the bathroom, hair now fully dry and styled.

Olivia leaned over her vanity putting a pair of earrings on. She glanced in the mirror and saw Alex's lean back and cheeks before a dark red dress slipped over her head.

Alex walked over to Olivia, "Are you ready?"

Olivia stood, smoothing out her dress. "I am. Are we taking Riley with us?"

As if on cue, the doorbell rang. Alex walked to the front door and Fin and Munch walked through.

"Good evening you two." Munch said walking through the door. "Two of New York's finest here to report for baby duty."

Olivia chuckled at his remark. "And just what makes you think you can handle a one month old?"

John looked around the room, "I'm just here for moral support. Fin will be the one taking care of the diapers and such."

Fin clasped his hands together. "So, where is the little man?"

"He's still asleep, but should wake up within the next ten minutes hungry." Alex went to the fridge and got out a bottle and sat it down on the counter. "You can warm this up on the stove."

"Got it." Fin said.

"Is that breast milk?" Munch asked eyeing the bottle.

Fin wacked him with the back of his hand, "Man, don't you know, breast is best?"

_Wow,_ Olivia mouthed the word as she walked over to join Alex at the door.

"Well, while you two debate over breast vs bottle, we're going to go on our first date." Alex picked up her purse and waved goodbye as she shut the door.

"Breast vs bottle," John said and then added, "What then do you call that?" He pointed at the bottle on the counter, "Breast in bottle?"

Fin rolled his eyes and then went into the nursery to check on Riley.

**A/N: For those who don't know, Mesa Grill is owned by Bobby Flay (Who happens to be married to our lovely Stephanie March *sad Face*)**. **So, I'm thinking the next chapter will be the last one and will include the epilogue (Mainly b/c 'epilouge' doesn't start with 'in' so I wouldn't have as awesome a chapter selection list) However, let me know what you'd like to read and if there's anything else you would like to see addressed before the story is over. The epilogue will be set 8-10 years later and will include the story of what happened to Jonathan!**


	15. Chapter 15 Insurmountable

Chapter 15: Insurmountable

**A/N: Warning, there has been a rating change due to a fairly long love scene! If you would rather skip over it, then read to where the guys leave the apartment and then skip everything until the last paragraph before the epilogue! **

Alex and Olivia sat across from each other at a table in the balcony of the restaurant. The restaurant was warm and cozy and unusually slow for the time of night. A chandelier hung low over the table creating residual lighting.

Alex looked up from her menu to see Olivia fidgeting in her seat. "Is something wrong?"

Olivia stopped squirming and looked up at Alex, "I can't get comfortable in this undergarment you have me wearing." Olivia said in a hushed tone.

Alex hid her laughter in her menu and then peeked her eyes out from the top of it. "Just imagine how sexy you'll look in it later." Alex teased and then hid her face once again in the menu.

Olivia felt a slight blush rush through her cheeks and smiled to herself as she tried to concentrate once again on the menu, seeing as her mind was already wandering to later that night.

The waiter walked up a few minutes later with their drinks and asked for their orders.

Alex closed her menu and handed it to the waiter. "I'll take the lamb shank posole."

Olivia shook her head slightly, trying to wave away the thoughts and ordered the first thing on the menu. "Honey glazed salmon please." She handed her menu over to the waiter, who in turn walked off with their orders.

"I'll be right back. I am going to run to the restroom real quick." Olivia got up from the table and headed to the back where the restroom was.

Taking advantage of the moment, Alex dug out her cell and rang Fin.

"Alex, I told you not to worry. Munch and I got this all under control."

"I know, I know, I just wanted to check in to see how Riley is doing." Alex said.

"He's had his bottle, he's burped, and I've changed him. Now, hang up your phone and get back to your date."

Alex's tone softened, "OK, and thank you Fin for doing this."

"It's no problem. You and Liv deserve to get out and go on a date once in a while."

After saying goodbye, she hung up her phone and placed it back in her purse.

Olivia came out of the bathroom before Alex had hung up the phone. She hung back for a bit and just watched Alex talking on her cell. Alex had a tenderness that most people didn't get to see. Liv could tell she was checking up on Riley by her posture and the way her hands moved while she talked.

When Alex hung up her phone, Olivia walked over to Alex from behind. She placed her thong in Alex's lap and leaned in close; she looked her dead in the eyes and whispered, "I happen to look very sexy without these on."

This time it was Alex's turn to blush. Although, it didn't stop her from taking a peek at Olivia's ass as she sauntered back to her seat. "I know you do." Alex laughed.

Olivia sat in her chair and smiled. "You know, we should have started all of this sooner." Liv placed one elbow on the table and leaned forward, placing her chin in her hand.

Alex smiled and then looked down in her lap where both of her hands were resting over Liv's undergarment. She picked up the thong discreetly and placed it in her purse before looking back up at Olivia and said, "Maybe we both weren't ready." Alex shrugged her shoulders, "Maybe things happen the way they do, and when they do, for a reason."

Olivia leaned back, "Either way, I'm glad everything worked out the way it did."

Alex nodded, "Me too."

A few minutes later, the waiter came back with their dinner. "Here you are, let me know if you need anything else."

Alex took a bite of her lamb, "Mhmm, my compliments to the chef. This is delish."

"Certainly mam, you ladies enjoy."

Olivia sat there wide eyed, watching Alex eat.

Alex was practically purring as she devoured the lamb posole.

Liv laughed at Alex, "Well, it sounds like you may not need my help tonight after all."

Alex waved her fork at Olivia, "Don't be deceived . . . you ain't heard nothin' yet." Alex winked at Liv and returned to her lamb.

Olivia closed her eyes for a moment, letting the feeling in her gut take root. When she opened her eyes again, she picked up her fork and tried her salmon. Alex wasn't kidding, the food there was divine; but she was more fixated on the woman sitting across from her. The one whom she'd always secretly longed for, but never fathomed she'd ever be with. Now, they had a child together, perhaps unconventionally, but what about their relationship was even conventional to begin with?

Alex didn't take her eyes off of Olivia. She watched as Liv closed her eyes, and then reopened them moments later and took a bite of her dinner. She smiled to herself. She had known she had wanted Olivia for a long time; but Liv hadn't been ready. Now, after all these years, finally, Olivia was hers. She was her girlfriend, her lover, a mother to her child, and perhaps even one day, her wife. Not that she planned on rushing things anymore than they already had.

By the end of their date, the two were both eager to get home.

When their taxi arrived, Olivia paid the driver, and the two of them held hands as they walked to the elevator. Once they got to their apartment, Alex went directly to Riley's room to check on him.

Olivia thanked Munch and Fin and locked the door behind them after they soon left. Then, Liv went to check on Alex in the nursery.

Alex was rocking Riley in the glider and nursing him. They had been gone for over two hours and her breasts had already gotten heavy.

The lights were off, but the lamp was on low. Olivia came into the room and looked down over Alex's shoulder at Riley. She ran her hand gently over his soft hair which grew thicker by the day. Unlike Alex, his hair was dark brown. Other than that, he was the perfect reflection of his mother. Olivia placed a gentle kiss on the top of Alex's head and then whispered in her ear, "I'll be waiting for you."

Alex closed her eyes, flourishing the moment. She smiled once again to herself and nodded at Liv who then walked out of the room.

Riley had finished nursing and once again fallen asleep. His soft lips lay open as she placed him in her lap and positioned her hands under his head. She felt the fullness in her heart swell as she looked down at her son. She kissed his supple cheeks and then got up to place him back in the crib.

When Alex walked into her bedroom, the lights were dim and a few candles flickered in the darkness. It illuminated the room just enough for her eyes to catch Olivia's.

Olivia wrapped one hand behind Alex's waist and the other under her hair behind her neck. She began kissing the tender crease in her neck gently, making her way up to behind her ear before pulling her in tightly as their lips met.

Alex felt a small moan of need escape as she was held. She brought her hands up to the sides of Olivia's face relishing in the feelings that Olivia made her feel.

Olivia's hand wandered up the back of Alex's dress and felt for the zipper. She slowly, and tortuously, brought the zipper down.

Alex's back arched when she felt Liv's hand lightly skimming the surface of her skin on her back.

Olivia withdrew her mouth from Alex's.

Alex pulled her hair back to one side of her shoulder, and turned so that Olivia could help her slip off her dress.

Liv lightly ran her fingers down the back of Alex's neck and brought her other hand up and slid both hands under the shoulders of the dress. She helped Alex slip her arms out and then let the dress fall to the ground.

Olivia brought Alex in closer to her and wrapped her hands around Alex's waist and again began kissing the exposed side of her neck and back.

Alex closed her eyes and let herself become consumed with the feeling of Olivia's lips.

Liv slowly released her hold on Alex and moved her hands to unsnap Alex's bra. She tossed it to the side.

Alex slowly turned around and let Olivia's gaze wander over her body.

Olivia brought her hand up to the scar over Alex's chest where the bullet hit so long ago. She saw Alex close her eyes and her breathing changed. Olivia moved down to kiss the scar. She covered it with her mouth, as she felt one of Alex's hands on the side of her head and her breathing returned to a normal pace.

"That wound took so much from me." Alex whispered.

"Well it doesn't have to anymore." Olivia said.

Alex smiled up at Olivia; then she walked behind Liv. She whispered in her ear as she began to unzip Liv's dress, "Let's see if I remember just how sexy you look naked."

Liv slid easily out of her dress and Alex tossed it to the side.

It was Alex's turn to run her nails along the curve of Olivia's back, making Liv arch in return. Alex ran her fingers up and down Liv's back and along her sides. She ran kisses across her shoulder and then slowly down her spine before returning her mouth to the tip of her ear.

Olivia's breathing got deeper each time Alex stroked her. Already she had a feeling of hunger within her, of need.

Alex ran her hand down to the scar on Olivia's lower back. "What happened here?" Alex questioned, but kept her kisses light across Liv's shoulder and neck.

Olivia's breathing hitched as Alex's hand made it to her scar. She kept her eyes closed as she answered, "My mother."

Alex moved her mouth lower down her spine until she too, covered Liv's scar with her kiss. She skimmed her fingernails lightly over the skin of Liv's outer thigh with one hand while the other was placed firmly on her other hip. Her nails ran up and down her thigh and then moved over her perfectly contoured and firm ass.

Olivia's back arched and thighs parted slightly, instinctively, at the touch, "Oh god, Alex."

Alex stood back up and stood once again in front of Olivia. She pressed her body into Olivia's, grinding her hips closer, needing to be closer. She backed Liv up to the bed and they climbed in.

Olivia sat up on the bed and Alex hovered over her on her knees. Liv moved her mouth and kissed Alex's stomach and then slid her hands under the elastic of her thong and slid it off of her.

Alex sat naked in Olivia's lap, her head tilted down, and with both legs on either side of Liv's. Alex wrapped her arms around Olivia's shoulders and head and pulled her back into a kiss.

Olivia wrapped her arms under Alex's and splayed her hands out over her back pulling her as close as their bodies allowed.

Alex tilted her head back and let Olivia's mouth explore her chest. Then she sat back up and slowly pushed Olivia back onto the bed so that her hands and mouth could wander.

Olivia bit her lower lip as she felt Alex's mouth cover her nipple, first gently sucking and then feeling the sensational sting of her bite as her mouth then moved to the other breast.

Alex's mouth moved slowly down Olivia's abdomen, enjoying the increasing rise in Olivia's need. Her mouth stopped right below her belly button. Alex moved her right leg so that Olivia could open her legs wider. Alex was now straddling Olivia's right thigh.

Olivia's hips were already slowly moving with each touch from Alex. Liv could feel the heat and the wetness that straddled her thigh and that made her want Alex all the more.

Alex let her mouth tease Olivia even more by bringing it down over her inner thigh.

Liv groaned in need.

Alex moved her body back up over Liv's and held herself up on one elbow while her right hand moved up Olivia's inner thigh. Her nails grazed the soft skin and then moved slowly to Olivia's opening. She kept her hand there for a moment drawing out a soft groan and then she thrust two fingers deep into Olivia.

Liv's back arched and she let out a gasp.

Alex's fingers moved inside Olivia, curling and filling her. Alex lay over Liv, and watched her move and groan. She pulled out her fingers gently, and moved them around her folds. Then she drew her fingers, tantalizingly close to Olivia's clit. She moved around it, pulling gently on the skin and hair.

Olivia's hips moved, trying to reach that elusive touch.

Alex sat back up again and pulled Olivia up with her. She thrust her fingers deep within her again. Then, she took Olivia's hand and placed it over her ready opening.

Liv let out a deep moan as she felt Alex's thrust once again and her fingers found their way inside of Alex, feeling her wetness. Olivia moved her fingers within Alex, feeling her soft ridges, and curling her fingers to release a moan from Alex. Then she slid her thumb to gently slide over Alex's clit.

Alex gasped and bore her hips down harder on Olivia's touch. Alex turned her fingers and pulled them out of Liv, placing them now fully over her clit. She moved her hand slowly at first and then harder and at just the right pressure.

Olivia responded by doing the same.

Higher and higher they both went until both of their bodies reached a peak and they both fell back into the pillows, slowly coming down. There, they fell asleep in each other's arms for the rest of the night.

The next morning, the sun rose and peaked through the curtains in the bedroom. Alex squirmed when she heard the soft cries of her son from the other room, wanting to be fed. She looked over beside her and saw Olivia still sleeping peacefully. She sat up and smiled down at Liv. This may not have been how she planned everything, but she really did have one hell of a life, and she loved it all.

**Epilogue **

**8 years later**

Olivia sat on the couch flipping through the day's paper. She looked down at the feet in her lap when she felt them moving.

Alex sat near Olivia with her back against the arm of the couch and her feet in Liv's lap. She had her glasses on and a pen in her mouth as she flipped a page in one of her files.

"Ok, I'm ready." Riley walked out of his room and greeted his moms in the living room, where they were sitting waiting for him.

"Alright," Alex kicked her legs out of Liv's lap and placed her file back in her briefcase. "Let's go."

Olivia grabbed her cup of coffee off the table and brought it with her as they headed out the apartment on their way to drop Riley off at the bus station for school.

When the three of them walked outside, a familiar figure walked over to Alex and Olivia.

"Are you Mrs. Cabot and Mrs. Benson?" The boy asked.

Alex took off her glasses. "Yes, we are. Do I know you?"

The boy grinned. "Yes, although I'm not sure you remember me." He looked at Alex first, "You found me." Then he looked to Olivia, "And you rescued me . . . over eight years ago."

Olivia's eyes got wide, "Jonathan?"

He grinned, "Yes, that's me."

"Oh my gosh." Alex gasped. "Riley, come here, I want you to meet someone."

Riley had already wondered down the street a little ways, but walked back when Alex called after him.

"What can we do for you Jonathan?" Olivia asked.

Jonathan clasped his hands when he saw Riley, "Is this the boy you were pregnant with when you found me?"

Alex nodded her head, "Yes, it is."

"I think I know who you are." Riley said.

Jonathan knelt down to look Riley in the eyes. "What'd your moms tell you about me?"

Riley held onto Alex's hand and fidgeted with his foot. "They said that you were the brave boy that they found while working a huge case together. They also said you were my age when the mean people took you, so I need to be careful."

Jonathan smiled, "They're absolutely right." Jonathan looked down at his wrist and then started to untie a bracelet that was wrapped around it. "Your mom gave me this one day when I was really scared. She said that each strand represents a person, and we're each tied together, and when we're together, we're strong."

Riley held out his hand and took the bracelet. "Cool." He said and then ran over to Olivia to help him tie the bracelet on.

Jonathan stood back up to talk to Alex and Olivia. "My foster mother adopted me, about a year after you guys found me. She helped me start a foundation for all the kids that were rescued. I named it after my sister: The Joanna Foundation for Exploited Kids. It was small at first, but now, we're having a multi state conference being held next month." Jonathan looked between Alex and Olivia, "I was hoping I could get both of you guys to speak."

"Of course." Alex said.

"We'll definitely be there." Olivia added. "You've accomplished a lot."

Jonathan shook his head, "Nah, you know, I just did what I had to do." He looked back at Alex, "You told me that I had to speak up for all those kids that day in court. So, I did; and I continue to."

"Well, that's no small feat." Olivia said.

"I got the support when I needed it." Jonathan answered.

Alex got out her card and handed it to Jonathan, "Call us with the date and time. We'll all be there, and if you ever, ever need anything at all, please don't hesitate to call."

"I sure will." Jonathan placed the card in his pocket and waved and walked off.

Olivia and Alex stood there for a moment longer staring at each other and off in the direction Jonathan had just ran. Then Olivia felt a tug on her arm.

"Mom!" Riley pulled at Olivia. "Come on, we're going to be late."

Alex laughed at their son who happened to actually love school. He took after her in that aspect, but as far as everything else, he took after Olivia.

And so, Riley ran ahead of Alex and Olivia; and the two of them held hands as they walked down the street to drop Riley off, and then head off to their own jobs of public service.

**A/N: Thank you all so much for sticking with me, and reading through my whole story. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please let me know what you think! I've also started writing a sequel to this story by the title of My Anchor. **


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